Lotan Wider knows what it means to choose Canada — and what it takes to stand up for its values.

Lotan moved to Canada from Israel with his family at age 11 and quickly came to understand the opportunities this country offers, and the responsibility that comes with protecting them. 

As a student, Lotan saw firsthand how classrooms can drift away from learning and become places where division, intimidation, and political extremism are allowed to grow. At Stephen Lewis Secondary School, he watched too many students feel sidelined while activism and disruption too often replaced respect and common sense. That experience made one thing clear: students deserve better.

Since then, Lotan has built his record on speaking up, organizing, and delivering results.

As a Junior Director with Shevet Hermon (Israeli Scouts), he led a delegation of high school students to Queen’s Park to raise concerns about the rise of antisemitism in Canada. On campus, he has been a consistent advocate for restoring civility and advancing practical solutions rooted in shared Canadian values.

Lotan has also worked in the Ontario government, where he gained firsthand experience navigating public institutions — experience that will matter on the York Region District School Board.

He is running for Trustee because he believes York Region public schools should return to their core purpose: delivering a high-quality education in a safe, focused, and respectful environment.

That means getting politics out of the classroom and getting back to basics. It means standing firmly against hate in all its forms. It means hiring and promoting staff based on merit, competence, and character. And it means having a Trustee who is prepared to speak clearly, act decisively, and work constructively and collaboratively with others to deliver real change.

“We need an outspoken and proactive voice at the YRDSB — one that will get hate and politics out of the classroom and get back to basics,” said Lotan Wider. “Students and parents deserve a Trustee who will work constructively where possible, speak firmly when necessary, and never lose sight of who this board is meant to serve.”

Real change will take leadership. It will take courage. And it will take a Trustee prepared to act.

Together, we can get YRDSB back to basics.