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Feature: Canada Beyond the Blue - Champions of Change Celebrated
By Scott Mills
The second annual Canada Beyond the Blue Champions of Change Gala was held on September 14, 2023, at Palais Royale in Toronto. The Gala was well attended by police services and associations, including OPPA President John Cerasuolo, VP David Sabatini, OPPA Board Members, and staff. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Chief Superintendent Dana Earley. Ontario Solicitor General, the Honourable Michael Kerzner, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, and several OPP members were among the close to 300 attendees.
The event celebrated Ontario police members and partners who are champions of change promoting mental health and wellness initiatives for a safer workplace. The goal is to reduce the stigma around mental health and recognize those who champion such initiatives.
OPPA and OPP members, their families, and community partners were nominated for five Champions of Change awards categories, all of which aimed to recognize their outstanding contributions towards improving mental health in the policing community. The selection committee, including PAO President Mark Baxter, had the challenge of choosing the award recipients as all the nominees had gone beyond the call of duty.
Baxter delivered a speech calling for police service members who have died “because of the line of duty” to be recognized and urged employers to stop appealing favorable WSIB outcomes for police personnel, stating, “Our Members are not budget lines, they are people and they deserve to be treated with dignity when they are sick, particularly when they are sick and injured as a result of doing the job.”
The following are OPPA Members, their families, and community partners who were either nominated or won awards.
OPP Sergeant Bruce Angel of the Grey Bruce Detachment was nominated for promoting a healthy lifestyle after sharing his story on the 10-5 Podcast hosted by the OPP Association. Bruce stated he received over three hundred texts and emails from Members in the days after the podcast was released.
Andrew Hodson has been intricately involved with the OPP Haliburton Highlands Detachment providing mental health support within the OPP and the community through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Andrew was among the nominees for a Community Partner Award. He was nominated by OPP officers involved in a shooting, for his support of them through a traumatic time.
Lynn Boucher and her daughter, Veronique Boucher, received the Darius Garda Legacy Award for their relentless efforts to educate members of the policing community and beyond about the signs of suicide. They embarked on this mission following the loss of Retired OPP Provincial Constable Guy Boucher, who was Lynn’s husband and Veronique’s father.
In the Agent of Change Award category, 23-year veteran OPP Communications Operator Emily Zufelt was nominated for her courageous and proactive approach to promoting mental health and wellness in the workplace. Emily is known for her podcast “What’s Your Twenty?”
Kirkland Lake OPP Court Officer Kimberley Derry was nominated in the Leadership Category for her work to improve the court process in Kirkland Lake. She was described as the cornerstone of the office and a highly respected and knowledgeable Court Officer.
Retired OPP Provincial Constable Laura Kloosterman was nominated for a Community Partner Award for her dedication to peer support with Badge of Life Canada and her work before retirement creating an education-based resolution for officers that was accepted and approved by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, the OPP Commissioner, and the OPPA.
A Social Work Solutions Canada clinician, Dr. Christina Harrington, is well-known to many OPPA members. She has numerous police officers, civilian employees, and their families as clients and was nominated and named the winner of the Community Partner Award for her dedication to providing professional guidance to personal well-being in more than 600 annual counselling sessions. Of note for OPPA members was Dr. Harrington’s advocacy to have Coroner’s Office reports reflect work-related operational stress injuries as contributing factors in police suicides.
The OPPA is grateful for the work of all the volunteers at Canada Beyond the Blue, congratulations to Dilnaz Garda, President of Canada Beyond the Blue, and Vice President Kristal Jones and team for hosting an impactful event. Congratulations to all the nominees and all the award winners.
If you would like to learn more about the work of Canada Beyond the Blue supporting police spouses and families, visit their website: canadabeyondtheblue.com
Originally published in the Winter 2024 issue of Beyond the Badge. Republished with permission from the Ontario Provincial Police Association.
