TAY VALLEY, ON – Rob Rainer, Reeve of Tay Valley Township and has led numerous not-for-profit organizations, has been officially nominated as the Ontario Liberal candidate for Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston.
“Rob is a different caliber of candidate — a strong community leader, Reeve of a major township, and hardworking resident with deep roots in the community.
I know that Rob will be a tremendous addition to our team as we fight to deliver more for healthcare, more for education, and more for you.”
— Bonnie Crombie, Leader of Ontario’s Liberals
“Under Doug Ford’s watch, more than a million people in Ontario used food banks over 2023-2024. This record-breaking number reveals the failure of the Ford government to address the cost of living, housing, and food security crises, which in turn are straining health and social services.
“Ontario can and must do better to meet the immense challenges of today’s world, be they social, economic, or environmental. I’m running with the Ontario Liberal Party and our Leader, Bonnie Crombie, to be part of the team which will help make life more affordable and secure for millions of Ontarians, and will help build healthy, vibrant, and resilient communities across our beautiful province.”
— Rob Rainer, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston Candidate
Born and raised in North Vancouver, BC, Rob has lived extensively on the west coast, in New Brunswick, in Québec, and in Ontario including in Tay Valley Township. His late father worked for most of his life in senior management for a major forest products company. His late mother was a primary school teacher. Rob has two sisters and a brother, as well as two grown daughters of his own — one of whom is a veterinary technician and the other who is studying sign language and interpretation. He is married to Mary Lou Carroll, who has a daughter who works in accounting. Mary Lou is a music director at a church in Carleton Place and is the accompanist for the Tay Valley and Westport community choirs.
Over his working life, Rob has been, a sawmill and warehouse labourer, a shipper-receiver, a co-operative store clerk, an outdoor education instructor and wilderness guide, a letter carrier, a writer for a consulting firm, an executive director or equivalent of six non-profit or charitable organizations, a consultant, and a municipal politician. He was first elected in 2018 as a Councillor in Tay Valley Township, and in 2022 he was elected Reeve. As Reeve, he also co-represents the Township on Lanark County Council.
In 1997, he was one of 15 Canadians, and one of 180 people worldwide, selected that year as an Associate of a two-year international leadership program, graduating in 1999 to the status of Fellow. In 2012 he was awarded, by the Government of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his work across Canada over 2006-2012 on poverty issues. And in 2013, his life reached a literal high point when he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5895 metres (19,341 feet) Africa’s highest mountain.
He is an avid reader, enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing and snowshoeing, and love music. He plays guitar, sings in community ensembles, plays benefit events, and has organized several concerts featuring world-class musicians. He has a good sense of humour and tries not to take himself too seriously.
His core values are respect for and compassion and kindness toward others, social equity, pursuit of truth, advancement and upholding of justice, love of nature, and respect for our environment. Among his favorite quotes: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle” (Philo). “The first responsibility of leadership is to set the right tone” (General David Petraeus – Ret.).