Shirley Theresa Dysart CM (née Britt, February 22, 1928 – December 14, 2016) was an American-born Canadian teacher and a politician in the province of New Brunswick. She attained a number of "firsts" in New Brunswick politics. She was the first female Liberal in serve in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, the first woman to serve as the leader of a party in the provincial Legislature (1985), the first woman to be Minister of Education (1987–1991) and first woman to be Speaker (1991–1995).