About
I am currently a social worker and mental health advocate living in Australia with my partner Gail and our hound Gilbert. Although I am a government employee working in public mental health, this is my private website. The opinions and views expressed here are entirely my own and do not represent those of my employer.
• Why am I addressing the File 1000-121 Affair?
Like countless people around the world, I am deeply concerned about the erosion of democracy and the excessive influence of industry lobbyists, corporations and billionaires over our elected governments. Moreover, the increasing concentration of media ownership together with the declining quality of journalism is both a cause and a symptom of poor democracy.
As I identified years ago in an essay for my social work degree, public knowledge of this particular case of systemic corruption has the potential to result in democratic reform in Canada, as it identifies collusion between economic and political elites in abusing the power of the state, in order to redistribute wealth from millions of ordinary citizens to media companies controlled by some of the richest Canadians (June 12, 2007).
Furthermore, Canadians remain unaware of the anti-democratic scheme — and are therefore unable to object to it — due to the failure of media companies to properly inform citizens about the File 1000-121 Affair. In short, information asymmetry about subordinate legislation was manufactured by design, because ignorant people are easy to exploit by powerful vested interests.
On this particular matter of governance, it is accurate to state that I possess expert knowledge.
- Challenging Stigma and Raising Awareness of Recovery
Furthermore, the world-leading expert on the stigma of mental illness made the connection directly in 2016 to Justin Trudeau, while he was prime minister of Canada. As documented, the late Professor Corrigan stated in his open letter to Mr. Trudeau: “If you choose to initiate an investigation into the company subsidy scheme as requested by Mr. Mahar, there will inevitably be media coverage of his public interest campaign to address this issue, including his personal experience of severe mental illness and recovery. Knowledge of Mr. Mahar’s story will serve to challenge the stigma of mental illness, raise awareness of recovery, and inspire hope for people with mental health problems and their families” (Open Letter, February 22, 2016)
Conference Presentations
D’Lima, R., Mahar, K., Whitlam, G. & Toohey, S. (5 August 2026). ‘From Intent to Implementation: Lived Experience Organisational Readiness in a Public Mental Health Service’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Sydney.
Mahar, K. (2024, August 29). ‘Finding Common Ground to Leverage Lived Experience in Order to Support Recovery’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra.
Mahar, K. (12 September 2023). ‘Leveraging Lived Experience of Psychosis and Recovery for Better Outcomes’, Psychosis Australia Conference, Sydney.
Watts I, Mahar, K. & Banfield, M. (28 August 2015). ‘The Next Big Opportunity’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra.
Ozols, I., Mahar, K. & Corrigan, P. (26 August 2015). ‘On Coming Out Proud to Erase the Stigma of Mental Illness’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra.
Mahar, K. (5 June 2014). ‘Critical Analysis of the NDIS and Mental Health Recovery in the ACT ’, Changing the Services Landscape: Mental Health Community Coalition ACT Conference, Canberra.
Burge, M. & Mahar, K. (22 August 2013). ‘National Mental Health Consumer Organisation Establishment Project’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne.
Boyson, I. & Mahar, K. (8 August 2012). ‘PHaMs: New Employment Focused Opportunities’, Australia’s Disability Employment Conference, Melbourne.
Luckstead, A., Drapalski, A., Mahar, K. & Crowley, M. (7 September 2011). ‘Ending Self Stigma: A New Intervention to Reduce Internalized Stigma Regarding Mental Health Problems’ (Workshop), The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Adelaide.
Mahar, K. (17 February 2011). ‘Mentalympians: Peer Support & Technology Equals Contagious Recovery’, Leading the Change: Mental Health Community Coalition ACT Conference, Canberra.
Mahar, K. & Rosenberg, S. (16 September 2010). ‘Mentalympians: A Peer Support System for the 21st Century’, The Mental Health Services Conference of Australia and New Zealand, Sydney.
Mahar, K. (18 June 2010). ‘Work and Recovery: A Personal Perspective’ (Keynote), Australia’s Disability Employment Services Conference, Hobart.
Mahar, K. (1 December 2007). ‘A Case of Recovery’, World Psychiatric Association International Congress, Melbourne.
Mahar, K. (22 September 2007). ‘The Rise, Fall and Recovery from Bipolar Disorder’, Australian Society for Bipolar Disorders Conference, Sydney.
Mahar, K. (4 October 2006). ‘Made in Canada: Recovered in Canberra’, Perspectives Conference: Peer Support and Innovative Practices in Recovery, Australian Mental Health Consumer Network, Melbourne.
Jarret, V. & Mahar, K. (25 February 2006). ‘The Lived Experience of Persons with Bipolar Disorder’, Australasian Society for Bipolar Disorders Conference, Melbourne.
Mahar, K. (16 September 2004). ‘Burden of Illness’, Perspectives on Population Health: The 10th Annual National Health Outcomes Conference, Canberra.