Toronto is a city that has yet to fall in love with itself.
True creative cities produce the legacy of an idea that does what funding cannot do: to foster.
In the future, all cities will be distinguished by one thing only. The nature of their enthusiasm.
The true measure of a city is its soul. This is the restless energy that doesn't wait for political leadership.
A city's greatness is manifest in a people confident in their ability to take risks, to encounter
The most adorable thing about Toronto is that she remains fiercely aloof and indifferent to the fads and entrepreneurial fevers of her lovers. She is intractably herself, admissive to the most vagrant, sober in a way that gets misinterpreted as stodginess. Her generosity extends to the meek as well as the gold diggers. Mercifully, she doesn't give a hoot about our portraits of her, but just waits, patiently, for our affection and citizenship.
A city's art must give the impression that art is as indispensable a thing as water, or food.
A city without passion is just a city of artistic events.
A strategist is one who helps people relax into their creative skills. People won't rally unless an idea is beautiful... Everyone is hanging on every word... Amazing.
I am honoured to have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of my esteemed colleague and fellow poet Mr. Dennis Lee, it will be with pride and passion that I carry forward the mandate of the Poet Laureate position for the City of Toronto and its residents.
When civic leaders are in love with their cities they are listened to; they are credible.
