Item - 2019.RM8.5

Various presentations, introductions and announcements were made to City Council on June 18 and 19, 2019.

June 18, 2019

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Mayor Tory to come forward to recognize the members of the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, the Toronto Paramedic Service and the Toronto Transit Commission Enforcement Unit.  Mayor Tory acknowledged the actions of the first responders during the Yonge Street and Danforth tragedies in 2018 to make the City safe.  Mayor Tory spoke of the patience, compassion and duty to service that the first responders show each day in serving the residents of the City.  Mayor Tory called upon Mark Saunders, Chief of the Toronto Police Service, Matthew Pegg, Chief of Toronto Fire Services, Gord McEachen, Acting Chief of the Toronto Paramedic Service and Alan Cakebread, Chief Special Constable for the Toronto Transit Commission Transit Enforcement Unit to come forward to receive a plaque for their contributions during the Yonge Street and Danforth tragedies.  Mayor Tory, on behalf of City Council, thanked the members of Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, the Toronto Paramedic Service and the Toronto Transit Commission Enforcement Unit for their dedication to duty. 

Mayor Tory, during the morning session of the meeting, thanked staff for the remarkable achievement in organizing a parade in just three days to celebrate the Toronto Raptors' first ever NBA Championship win.  Mayor Tory also spoke of the scary moment on Nathan Phillips Square when an incident of violence momentarily disrupted an otherwise peaceful celebration, and acknowledged the fast actions of the Toronto Police Service in dealing with the situation. 

Councillor Layton, during the morning session of the meeting, congratulated Councillor Wong-Tam and her partner on the arrival of their baby.

Councillor Karygiannis, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed a delegation of artists, Liming Shen, Liu Kankai and Song Fu Sheng, from Beijing who were present in the Chamber.

Councillor Fletcher, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed Councillors for a day, Lacklar Curry and Zaid Rashid, who were present in the Chamber.

Councillor Perruzza, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed the students and their instructor from the government relations program at Seneca College who were present in the Chamber.

Councillor McKelvie, during the afternoon session of the meeting, welcomed Professor Barbara Sherwood Lollar from the University of Toronto, winner of the Herzberg gold medal, Canada’s top prize for non-medical research, who was present in the Chamber.

June 19, 2019

Councillor Karygiannis, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed the Grade 5 students and their teacher from Sir Samuel Steele Junior Public School who were present in the Chamber.

Councillor Grimes, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Members of Council to come by Committee Room 1 during the lunch recess to have a piece of the 20 foot pizza that was donated by Dino's Wood Burning Pizza in Etobicoke.

Councillor Wong-Tam, during the afternoon session of the meeting, advised Members of Council that Canada is the first country to ban the importation and exportation of Shark Fins.

Councillor Fletcher, during the afternoon session of the meeting, thanked Councillor Wong-Tam and former Councillors Glenn De Baeremaeker, Michelle Holland and John Parker for their work on the issue of banning Shark Fins.