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Kathleen Wynne

Kathleen O'Day Wynne is a Canadian politician who served as the 25th premier of Ontario from 2013 to 2018 and led the Ontario Liberal Party during that period.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Kathleen O'Day Wynne is a Canadian politician who served as the 25th premier of Ontario from 2013 to 2018 and led the Ontario Liberal Party during that period. She was the first woman to serve as premier of Ontario and the first openly gay premier in Canada.

Early life and education

Kathleen Wynne was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1953. Public biographies describe her as having worked in community and education-related roles before entering elected politics.

Political career

Wynne was elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003 as the MPP for Don Valley West. She later held several cabinet portfolios, including education, transportation, municipal affairs and housing, Aboriginal affairs, and agriculture and food.

Premier of Ontario

Wynne became leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 2013 and was sworn in as premier that year. She remained premier until 2018, when the Liberals were defeated in the provincial election.

Significance

Wynne is historically notable for being the first woman and the first openly gay person to serve as premier of Ontario. Her career is often discussed in the context of Ontario politics, education policy, and LGBTQ+ representation.

Key facts

  • Wynne served as premier of Ontario from 2013 to 2018.
  • She led the Ontario Liberal Party from 2013 to 2018.
  • She represented Don Valley West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2022.
  • She was the first woman to become premier of Ontario.
  • She was the first openly gay premier in Canada.
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Canadian context

Kathleen Wynne is significant to Canadian readers as a provincial political leader in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, and as a historic first in Canadian LGBTQ+ political representation.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Kathleen Wynne?
Kathleen Wynne is a Canadian politician best known for serving as premier of Ontario from 2013 to 2018.
What political office did Kathleen Wynne hold?
She served as the 25th premier of Ontario and was the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party from 2013 to 2018.
What riding did Kathleen Wynne represent?
She represented Don Valley West in the Ontario legislature from 2003 to 2022.
Why is Kathleen Wynne notable in Canadian politics?
She was the first woman to serve as premier of Ontario and the first openly gay premier in Canada.
When was Kathleen Wynne born?
She was born on May 21, 1953.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Wynne
    Supports: Birth date; premier of Ontario; leader of Ontario Liberal Party; MPP for Don Valley West; first woman premier of Ontario; first openly gay premier in Canada.
  2. Legislative Assembly of Ontario — https://www.ola.org/en/members/all/kathleen-o-wynne
    Supports: Don Valley West membership; cabinet and premier roles.
  3. Victoria University, University of Toronto — https://www.vic.utoronto.ca/whats-happening/vic-one-plenary-240207
    Supports: Overview of Wynne's political career and cabinet portfolios.
  4. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/profile-liberal-leader-kathleen-wynne-1.2564220
    Supports: Birthplace, education, political career progression.
  5. Legislative Assembly of Ontario — https://www.ola.org/en/photo/kathleen-o-wynne-mpp-2003-2022
    Supports: First female premier of Ontario; ministerial roles; MPP service period.