Wisdom Buffet

We are so blessed in Toronto. Now more than 50% of our residents can claim that they came from somewhere else in the world; me among them. They bring to Toronto an incredible array of food, fashion, culture, art, and perhaps most importantly, wisdom. And I know that no matter how smart and funny I am, it's nothing compared to what's out there. So here's my program:

First, it will be my honour as Mayor of Toronto to call upon and harvest the wisdoms of the city through Wisdom Councils. Here's the idea: "Somebody, somewhere, sometime, must have figured something out that is of use to us today." Dr. Jean Houston does similar work for the UN. Let there be Wisdom Councils throughout the city, sharing their insights on 21st century Toronto.

Second, we can chronicle and archive the wisdoms of Toronto. Danny Beaton has been recording the wisdom of the indigenous elders for years and years. He is willing to help train young filmmakers to record the wisdom traditions of their families. What a resource!

Last, let's market ourselves as a cross-cultural destination. In Toronto a visitor could try an aikido lesson, have lunch in little Italy, go to a belly-dancing workshop in the afternoon, dine on Thai food, and then catch any one of a dozen concerts. Business leaders who want to expose their employees to new ways of thinking can find them here. "Come visit the whole world, it lives in Toronto."