Ruth Wildgen

Ruth Wildgen, née Besharah (1921 – September 11, 1999) was a Canadian politician and activist. She represented Britannia Ward on Ottawa City Council and the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Council from 1985 to 1988.

Wildgen was born in 1921 in Saskatchewan, the second of eight children of Lebanese immigrants. The family moved to Almonte, Ontario when she was three. Wildgen married her husband Francis in 1952, but would later be estranged from him. In 1974, two of her children were making candles in the basement when a fire erupted that led to her house at 1146 Merivale Road being burnt down, forcing her and her children into public housing.

While sitting on council, Wildgen represented the region on a provincial committee looking at social services. She usually voted with the left wing councillors. In the 1988 Ottawa municipal election, Wildgen lost in another close race against Jones, who was seen as being more "pro-development". After a recount, Jones defeated her by 10 votes. In her campaign, she supported a one-tier municipal government and keeping tax increases to a minimum.

Marlene Catterall nominated Wildgen for a Governor General's Award in commemoration of the Persons Case, for her work with social causes.

Wildgen died in her home in Dunrobin, Ontario on September 11, 1999.