Donald Charles Kay (c. 1915 – April 2, 2007) was an alderman on

Ottawa City Council Ottawa City Council () is the governing body of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is composed of 24 city councillors and the mayor. The mayor is elected at large, while each councillor represents wards throughout the city. Council member ...

for 18 years. Kay attended

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

with the intention of becoming a

United Church A united church, also called a uniting church, is a denomination formed from the merger or other form of church union of two or more different Protestantism, Protestant Christian denominations, a number of which come from separate and distinc ...

minister. He served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

as an artillery signals instructor for the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

. Before entering politics, Kay was an administrative officer for the Federal Post Office Department. He was also the chairman of the council of the Community Association of Southeast Ottawa. He was also the first Vice President of the

Elmvale Acres Elmvale Acres is a neighbourhood in south Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in Alta Vista Ward. It was built in the late 1950s by the contractor and property developer, Robert Campeau, with construction beginning in 1955. It is bounded on the nor ...

- Urbandale Community Association. Later on in his career, he was a regional representative of the Public Service Alliance. Kay first ran for council in the 1954 election, running in Ward 3 which covered Sandy Hill and

Old Ottawa East Old Ottawa East or just Ottawa East (''Vieil Ottawa Est'' in French) is a neighbourhood in Capital Ward in central Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located south of Nicholas Street and between the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River, with Avenue ...

. He finished fifth, winning 711 votes. He ran again in 1960 in Gloucester Ward, placing fourth. In his third attempt, the following election, Kay would be elected, unseating incumbent

Pat Doherty Pat Doherty, short for Patrick Doherty or Patricia Doherty, may refer to: * Pat Doherty (boxer) (born 1962), English boxer * Pat Doherty (Canadian politician) (1914–1973), Canadian politician * Pat Doherty (netball) (born 1933), former Austra ...

for the second elected position in Gloucester Ward. Kay represented Gloucester Ward until 1966, when he was elected in the new

Alta Vista Ward Alta Vista Ward (Ward 18) is a city ward (politics), ward in the city of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada represented on Ottawa City Council. Alta Vista Ward was created prior to the 1966 Ottawa municipal election, 1966 election when Gloucester Ward ...

. In 1968, he also became a regional councillor in addition to sitting on Ottawa City Council. In 1975, he became the Dean of the City Council. In the 1980 election, Kay was defeated in the new Canterbury Ward by Conservative school teacher Darrel Kent. Kay had been charged for public mischief after one of Kent's signs was vandalized after a night of drinking. He was discharged.

Sources

*Ottawa Citizen, December 1, 1962 *Ottawa Citizen, December 2, 1974 *Ottawa Citizen, November 11, 1980

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kay, Don 2007 deaths Ottawa city councillors 1910s births Politicians from Toronto Canadian Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from Ottawa Military personnel from Toronto McGill University alumni Members of the United Church of Canada Canadian Anglicans Public Service Alliance of Canada people