Rob Rainer: Candidate for LFK Provincial Liberal Nomination

Aug 14, 2024

Rob Rainer is not afraid to lose the next provincial election. He is the only person to have put his name forward for the Liberal Party nomination to the Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston Liberal riding association and said that, unless someone else comes forward, he expects to be named as the candidate sometime in September.

He said that while he has heard that the most likely timing of the next provincial election is next spring, if he is chosen as the Liberal candidate he, and the party, will be prepared to campaign this fall.

“I am somewhat daunted by it,” he said when asked this week in a telephone interview about his chances of defeating Conservative incumbent John Jordan in Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston riding. The Liberal candidate in that election, Amanda Pulker-Mok, finished 3rd with a 15.0% share of the vote, and Jordan easily won with 50.2%.

“I am mindful, however, that the conservative have drawn roughly 50% of the vote in the riding. Hopefully I can pull from some of the other parties, the New Democrats and the Greens, and can get some cross over support. It is important the people are willing to step up, and give the electorate a choice.”

Rob Rainer moved to a property near Christie Lake in 2015 with this wife, Mary Lou Carrol, from Barrhaven. He spent most of his working career working in a leadership role for not-for-profit organisations, including a six year stint with “Canada Without Poverty” where his commitment to a Basic Income Plan was solidified. He is currently the chair of a group called Lanark Basic Income, which has been appearing before councils across the county encouraging them to endorse a motion calling for the Province of Ontario to adopt an Basic Income Plan. He has been serving on Tay Valley Council since 2018, and has been the Reeve of Tay Valley since the fall of 2022. He does part-time consulting work with Nature Serve Canada.

With a resume that seems more akin to someone running for the Green Party or the NDP, he is candid that he has not been a lifelong Liberal Party member.

“Over the years I have been active in the Green, New Democrat, and Liberal parties, always aligning with people and parties a little to the left of the centre,” he said, “you could call me small l Liberal. Now, on a broad array of issues, I am comfortable with Liberal Party positions. I hear Bonnie Crombie address the Empire Club soon after becoming the party leader, and was very impressed with what she said during a q and a session after her speech.”

He said that he has been inspired by Michelle Foxton, and the way she has “campaigned with a lot of heart and commitment”.

His experience in municipal politics has also had an impact.”In mnicipal politics you learn quickly that taking and ideological position on issues is not that helpful, it is all about incremental change and practical decisions.”

That being said, he thinks his commitment to working on in both poverty and climate issues will always be a focus for his politics, at the municipal and provincial level.

“When she was Premier, Kathleen Wynne established a Basic Income pilot project that was very promising, but the Doug Ford government ended it when they took over and I don't think the current government has taken the reality of climate change any where near seriously enough, given what we are seeing now,” he said.

Whether there is an election this fall, next spring, or later on, Rainer said he will keep to his role as Reeve of Tay Valley, but will begin travelling throughout the riding to meet with people and talk Liberal politics as soon as his candidacy is confirmed. There is a Ontario Liberal Party is holding their annual meeting in London between September 20 and 22, and he expects to attend that meeting, perhaps as the official candidate for the local riding.

“I know Lanark County quite well, since I live here and am involved in township and county politics, but I do not know Frontenac County very well. I look forward to changing that, and visiting communities that are now just points on a map for me,” he said.