The former Minister of Labour for Ontario with over 33 consecutive years in elected office, Kevin Flynn brings knowledge and insights that can only be gained from spending a life in public service. As Chair of the All Party Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions Kevin fought to bring the hidden issue of mental illness firmly to the forefront of the governmental agenda and demanded action from all parties. His committee’s watershed report received unanimous support from all parties in the House and resulted in real and meaningful change.
As Minister of Labour, the Honourable Kevin Flynn championed the brave first responder community suffering from PTSD and a lack of treatment, by introducing Bill 163 to finally implement presumptive coverage and compulsory PTSD prevention plans. These measures allowed for early identification, early intervention, early treatment and much better outcomes for those who keep us safe in their line of work. Psychological health and safety has always been a passion of Kevin’s and his leadership made those previous difficult workplace conversations around mental health easier and integral to the productivity and profitability of smart Canadian business.
His work has been recognized across Canada and adopted in many other jurisdictions. In recognition of his determination and accomplishments in mental health, Kevin has received awards from the Canadian Mental Health Association, Pathways and the Ontario Psychological Association.