Our Trustees

Phil Upshall
National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC)

Phil was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, educated at Dalhousie University, Halifax, (B.Com. 1965) and the University of Toronto (LLB 1967). He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1969. Currently, Phil is the National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC), a virtual national NGO with a mandate to represent the interests of consumers and families dealing with depression, bipolar interest and other related mood disorders. MDSC also represents the interests of provincial Mood Disorders Associations and other consumer/family NGOs at the national level. He is the immediate past National Executive Director of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) which was established in 1998 and of which he was a founding member. He was the National Executive Director from March 2002 to February 2007. CAMIMH is the largest, and only national collaborative voice advocating for a national strategy for mental illness, mental health and addictions. CAMIMH has 19 members, all national NGOs from the professional, service provider and consumer/family areas of interest. MDSC manages Mental Illness Awareness Week in Canada each year during the first week in October. MDSC also founded and manages the Champions of Mental Health Luncheon which occurs in Ottawa during Mental Illness Awareness Week. MDSC also manages Phase 2 of the Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative.

Phil was a leading advisor to Senators Michael Kirby, Wilbert Keon M.D. and the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, the Chair and Deputy Chairs of the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technologies whose report Out of the Shadows at Last is a comprehensive study on Mental Health, Mental Illnesses and Addiction in Canada. Currently Phil serves as a Special Advisor to Michael Kirby, Chair of the recently established Mental Health Commission of Canada

Phil was a member of the Institute Advisory Board of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction and has been a member of a number of expert panels for Stats Canada, Health Canada, CIHI and others.

In 2002 Phil was awarded a certificate from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation in Toronto in recognition of his Courage to Come Back. In 2003, Phil was presented with an award from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities in recognition of his valued contribution to the Disability Rights Movement in Canada. In January, 2005 the Ontario Psychiatric Association presented Phil with the Theodore Allen Sweet Award for outstanding service to the mental health system in Ontario. In October 2007, Phil received a certificate of appreciation from the 19 national organizations of CAMIMH for his extraordinary leadership. In November 2007 Phil was presented with the Presidents commendation by the Canadian Psychiatric Association for his outstanding advocacy on behalf of Canadians on the importance of addressing mental illness.