Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Ann Bennett PC (born December 20, 1950) is a Canadian ambassador and retired politician. A member of the Liberal Party, she represented Toronto—St. Paul's in the House of Commons from 1997 to 2024, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau. She was the minister of State for Public Health from 2003 to 2006, the minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations from 2015 to 2021 and the minister of Mental Health and Addictions from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, she became the Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of Denmark. Prior to entering politics, Bennett worked as a family physician for 20 years.

Carolyn Ann Bennett was born in Toronto on December 20, 1950. She attended Havergal College. She graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1974 and received her certification in family medicine in 1976. In 2004, she was awarded an honorary fellowship from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada for her contributions to medicine, especially women's health.

Bennett was a family physician for 20 years before entering politics.

Bennett worked as a family physician at Wellesley Hospital and Women's College Hospital in Toronto from 1977 to 1997 and was a founding partner in Bedford Medical Associates. She was also president of the medical staff association of Women's College Hospital and has a clinical adjunct appointment as an assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto. Bennett served on the boards of Havergal College, Women's College Hospital, the Ontario Medical Association, and the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto.

Bennett co-authored Kill or Cure? How Canadians Can Remake their Health Care System with Rick Archbold, published in October 2000.

Bennett ran for public office in the 1995 Ontario provincial election as a candidate of the Ontario Liberal Party. Running in the riding of St. Andrew—St. Patrick, she lost to Progressive Conservative candidate Isabel Bassett by about 3,500 votes.

Bennett was more successful in the 1997 federal election, defeating her closest opponent in St. Paul's Peter Atkins by almost 15,000 votes. She was re-elected by increased margins in the elections of 2000 and 2004.

On December 12, 2003, after Paul Martin became Prime Minister, he appointed Bennett as his Minister of State for Public Health. In her two years as Minister, she set up the Public Health Agency of Canada, appointed the first chief public health officer for Canada, and established the Public Health Network.