Gerry Phillips

Minister of Government Services

In June 2005 Gerry Phillips was appointed Minister of Government Services by Premier Dalton McGuinty. Minister Phillips took on responsibility for a new ministry that combined the former Ministry of Consumer and Business Services with the Management Board Secretariat, along with responsibilities for Human Resource Management. 

The Ministry of Government Services was created to modernize government operations and coordinate the delivery of high-quality public services to consumers and business. In 2005, Minister Phillips announced North America's first money-back guarantee on a public service an assurance that an online birth certificate application will be delivered within 15 days or your money back.

Prior to his current appointment, Phillips served as Chair of Management Board since the beginning of the government's mandate in 2003. As Chair, Phillips introduced the Government Advertising Act, North America's first law removing partisan content from government advertising.

Phillips first entered provincial politics in 1987 as the MPP for Scarborough-Agincourt and has been re-elected four times. He served as Minister of Citizenship and Minister of Labour in the cabinet of former premier David Peterson. In opposition, Phillips served as critic for finance and native affairs.

Before entering provincial politics, Phillips was a school board trustee for 11 years and was chair of the Metro Toronto School Board and the Scarborough Board of Education. His other community roles included chair of the Scarborough General Hospital board and president of the Bridlewood Community Association.

After graduating from the University of Western Ontario in commerce, Phillips went into business, first with Procter & Gamble. In 1970, he joined Canadian Marketing Associates, became president in 1977 and built the company into Canada's largest marketing management consulting firm. He spun off two companies, the Sales Development Group in 1979 and the Retail Resources Group in 1982. By 1987, he was chair of all three companies, employing 300 people.

Phillips was a coach in the Agincourt Lions Club Minor Hockey League for 30 years.

His wife, Kay, is a nationally recognized quilt maker who lectures and teaches throughout North America. They have four children and four grandchildren.