Brendan Ray

The City of Ottawa’s list of certified candidates shows Brendan Ray’s nomination for trustee of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in Zone 11 dated May 7, 2026. The City’s open data file shows no withdrawal. The other candidates in the zone are Jason Glover and Alan Riddell, who both filed on August 21, 2026. The City list gives him no website or social media account. CBC News reported on July 23, 2026 that he was so far the only registered candidate in Zone 11, and The Leveller named him on July 24, 2026 among the newcomer candidates. CTV News Ottawa lists him in its guide of September 9, 2026.

CBC News of July 23, 2026 reports that he said he has worked in education since 2003, including as a university administrator. CBC says he described Ontario as being in its most serious situation for public schools in more than a century, and that he mentioned student safety and transportation and recent provincial limits on elected boards. He told CBC he has been frustrated as a parent and decided, “if not me, then who?” He said he expects to lose money on the campaign whether or not he wins. He said the board should state that it is elected and represents the community and should speak for residents. His employer and job title were not given in the sources read.

The Leveller reported on July 24, 2026 that he said he wants to rebuild a governance model that is both effective and responsive to the community. It quotes him: “My expectation is that there will be a transition back to elected governance.” He said he shares concerns about the loss of local democratic oversight and believes the community should have a strong voice in how its schools are governed.

CBC News and the Ottawa Citizen reported on August 27, 2026 that he is one of eight trustee candidates who signed a shared statement of principles, organized by Cathy Varrette, that calls for an immediate end to the board’s provincial supervision. CBC describes him as a parent of an OCDSB student and says a busing problem for his family helped convince him to run. It quotes him saying there was no elected trustee to act as a link between his family and the board, and that this showed him the value of an active board of trustees that can relate to parents. The other seven signers named are John MacRae (Zone 1), Daniel Pershick (Zone 3), Emily Quaile (Zone 4), Natasha Lynn Mott (Zone 5), Chris Durrant (Zone 6), Keelin Pringnitz (Zone 10) and Cathy Varrette (Zone 12).

The board’s page says that since June 27, 2025 the board has been under supervision by the Minister of Education, and that decisions normally made by trustees are made by the appointed Supervisor, Robert Plamondon. The sources read hold no complaint or allegation about him.