Sheilagh Ethne O'Leary (born September 17, 1964) is a Canadian politician from the New Democratic Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for the district of St. John's East-Quidi Vidi in the 2025 provincial election. O'Leary is a photographer.https://nl.ndp.ca/sheilagh-oleary/
Municipal politics Prior to entering the House of Assembly, O'Leary was the deputy mayor of St. John's, having been first elected in 2017, and re-elected in 2021 by acclamation.
Before then, O'Leary was a councillor on the St. John's City Council, having first been elected in 2009 before running for mayor in 2013, where she came in second to Dennis O'Keefe. She returned to council in 2016 serving until her election as deputy mayor.
Provincial politics O'Leary ran in the 2021 provincial election with the NDP in Mount Scio losing to incumbent Sarah Stoodley. She also ran in the 2014 Virginia Waters by-election coming in third behind Cathy Bennett.
O'Leary was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for the district of St. John's East-Quidi Vidi in the 2025 provincial election.
In 2026, O'Leary endorsed Avi Lewis in that year's federal NDP leadership race.
On September 17, 2026, O'Leary voted against the Churchill Falls Definitive Cooperation and Implementation Agreement (DCIA) in the House of Assembly along with the Liberal caucus and Independent MHA Keith Russell.
Electoral history Provincial
|align="right"|1892 |align="right"|39.05 |align="right"|-20.99
|NDP |Sheilagh O'Leary |align="right"|1021 |align="right"|21.07 |align="right"|-9.35
Municipal 2021 St. John's Deputy Mayor election Vote % Sheilagh O'Leary (X) Acclaimed
2017 St. John's Deputy Mayor election Candidate Vote % Sheilagh O'Leary 30,689 84.21 Michelle Worthman 5,753 15.79
Ward 4 by-election, February 23, 2016 Candidate Vote % Sheilagh O'Leary 2,725 53.29 Jill Bruce 959 18.75 Debbie Hanlon 876 17.13 Matthew White 293 5.73 Janet Kovich 261 5.10
2013 St. John's Mayor election Candidate Vote % Dennis O'Keefe (X) 20,047 56.68 Sheilagh O'Leary 14,735 41.66 Geoff Chaulk 589 1.67
2009 St. John's at-large councillor election Candidate Vote %Sheilagh O'Leary 24,05619.82 Sandy Hickman (X) 17,562 14.47Tom Hann (X) 17,079 14.07Gerry Colbert (X) 16,183 13.34Bernard Davis 15,078 12.43Simon Lono 14,705 12.12Tom Badcock 8,650 7.13 Barry Buckle 4,352 3.59Stephen Nolan 3,684 3.04
References