Bob Rae

Birth Name: Robert Keith Rae

Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birht: August 2, 1948

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish, Scottish
*mother – English

Bob Rae is a Canadain politician and diplomat. He has been Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), from February 7, 1982 to June 22, 1996, Leader of the Opposition of Ontario, from September 10, 1987 to October 1, 1990, Premier of Ontario, from October 1, 1990 to June 26, 1995, Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, from May 25, 2011 to April 14, 2013, Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court, from 2021 to 2023, and Canadian Ambassador to the UN, from August 1, 2020 to November 17, 2025; as well as, a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Broadview/Broadview—Greenwood (ON), from October 16, 1978 to May 2, 1982, a Member of the Provincial Parliament for York South (ON), from November 4, 1982 to February 29, 1996, and a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Toronto Centre (ON), from March 17, 2008 to July 31, 2013.

Bob is the son of Lois Esther (George) and Saul Rae (Saul Forbes Rae), a diplomat, who was Canadian Minister in the U.S., from 1956 to 1961, Canada’s Ambassador to Mexico, from 1967 to 1972, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, from 1972 to 1976, and Canada’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, from 1976 to 1979. His brother is businessperson, political organizer, and adviser John A. Rae, who was executive vice-president and director of Power Corporation. His uncle was singer, songwriter, and television performer Jackie Rae (John Arthur Rae). His father, and his aunt Grace and uncle Jackie, performed on the vaudeville circuit as children, as the “Three Little Raes of Sunshine.” His uncle later hosted The Jackie Rae Show on CBC.

His father was born in Hamilton, Ontario. Bob’s paternal grandparents moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1912, from Glasgow, Scotland. His mother was born in England. Bob was raised as an Anglican. He found out that his paternal grandfather was Jewish when he was around twenty one, and has embraced Jewish culture.

Bob is married to journalist, literary critic, and author Arlene Perly Rae, with whom he has three children. His family belongs to a Reform Jewish temple.

Bob’s paternal grandfather was Goodman Cohen/Rae (the son of Herman Cohen and Polly Estrin). Goodman was born in Palanga, Lithuania, then in the Russian Empire, to a Jewish family. His family moved to Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1890s. He took on his wife’s surname of Rae. Herman was the son of Shulman/Solomon Cohen and Minnie Goodman.

Bob’s paternal grandmother was named Helen/Nellie Andrew Rae (the daughter of John A. Rae and Grace). Helen was born in Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John was born in Glasgow, and was a metal plater. He was the son of Alexander Rae and Elizabeth Rennie Fulton. Grace was born in Glasgow.

Bob’s maternal grandfather was William Stanley George (the son of William Henry Harrison George and Florence Lizzie Heffer). Stanley was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to English parents. He was a general medical practicioner, in Hampstead, England. Bob’s great-grandfather William was born in Kingsland, Dalston, London, the son of William Henry Weaver George and Mary Ann Harrison. Bob’s great-grandmother Florence was born in Croydon, Surrey, the daughter of Henry Heffer and Clara Ann Cook.

Bob’s maternal grandmother was Mildred Ellen Theobald (the daughter of Edward Stroud Theobald and Ellen Mary Oxenham). Mildred was born in Hackney, London, England. Edward was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. Ellen was born in Greenwich, Kent, the daughter of Robert Oxenham and Rachel Callard.

Sources: Genealogy of Bob Rae (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Bob’s maternal grandmother, Mildred Ellen Theobald, on the 1901 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Mildred Ellen Theobald on the 1911 England and Wales Census – https://www.familysearch.org