Former Premier and alumna Kathleen Wynne returns to Queen’s to share insight and advice with graduate students.
Kathleen Wynne, ArtSci ’76, spoke to School of Policy Studies graduate students at the Tett Centre by the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts on Sept. 5 as part of their orientation. The event focused on students’ future careers in public service and Wynne’s, who served as Ontario’s twenty-fifth Premier from 2013-18. She reflected on her own path in politics, which started much later in life.
“I didn’t set out in ’66 to become Premier. It happened much later in life, and by then, I had enough lived experience to take on those roles. I’d served in different ministries, I understood how the government worked, and I was ready for the responsibility,” Wynne said, addressing students.
Reflecting on her time in office, Wynne highlighted how personal identity and public opinion often shaped the reception of her policies as much as the policies themselves. She highlighted this being evident when a new policy for sex education came into fruition in 2015.
“The evidence was clear; we needed a new curriculum. The last update was in ’98. The uproar wasn’t really about the policy; it was about me,” she said. “Because I was a lesbian Premier, people argued I had no business overseeing its implementation. That blending of public opinion and identity was at the heart of the controversy.”
She contrasted those divisive debates with moments when her government introduced policies that were widely supported.
“Sometimes you hit a sweet spot, like full-day kindergarten. It was exactly what people needed, and there was broad support for it. Other times, like with the sex-ed curriculum, you have to persevere until there’s enough of a critical mass to implement it.”
The session also featured personal reflections from students. One Queen’s graduate student shared how Wynne’s policies, including OHIP+, which provides 5,000 drug products at no cost for people under 24 years of age, and pharma care—the first universal drug program in Canada for those 24 and under—shaped his undergraduate experience.
He added that these programs eased financial stress, gave him time to focus on his studies, and even supported his family during a difficult period. Wynne described hearing stories like his as “hugely gratifying,” noting they represent the long-term human impact of government decisions.
The talk concluded with a question-and-answer period, allowing students to ask Wynne about policymaking, leadership, and the challenges of balancing public opinion with long-term vision.
Wynne ended her session by encouraging students to dream big, adding the importance of having trust in others in leadership.
“Never say never. I think that part of it is having people around you who you trust, so you don’t feel that you’re alone; the best leadership brings people with it.”
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Kathleen Wynne, orientation, Policy Studies, premier
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