Item - 2019.RM9.5

Various presentations, introductions and announcements were made to City Council on July 16, 17 and 18, 2019.

July 16, 2019

Councillor Matlow, during the morning session of the meeting, acknowledged members of the late former Councillor Anne Johnston's family, who were present in the Chamber.

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Giuliana Carbone, Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services to come forward and recognize Chris Brillinger, who is leaving his post as Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, for his 31 years of service to the City. Ms. Carbone thanked Mr. Brillinger for his contributions and wished him all the best in his future role as Executive Director, Family Service Toronto. Ms. Carbone invited Mayor Tory to come forward. Mayor Tory offered thanks to Mr. Brillinger on behalf of Members of Council and of the people of Toronto, and presented Mr. Brillinger with a scroll. Mr. Brillinger addressed City Council and thanked Mayor Tory and Ms. Carbone for their words and thanked Council for the opportunity to serve the City.  

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Mayor Tory to come forward to recognize Valerie Jepson, Integrity Commissioner, upon the completion of her term of office with the City of Toronto. Mayor Tory thanked Ms. Jepson, on behalf of Members of Council and of the people of Toronto, for Ms. Jepson's dedication, service and hard work and remarked on Ms. Jepson's ethical leadership and thoughtful advice over the past five years. Mayor Tory acknowledged that during her time in office Ms. Jepson was awarded the 2018 Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators Medal for outstanding contributions to the Ontario administrative justice system and was recognized as a University of Victoria Faculty of Law distinguished alumni. Mayor Tory presented Ms. Jepson with a scroll. Ms. Jepson addressed City Council and thanked the Mayor, City Council, the City Manager, and the City Clerk for the recognition.

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Councillor Cressy to come forward to recognize City of Toronto employees, Agencies, and the Toronto Island residential community for their response to the flooding on the Toronto Islands. Councillor Cressy thanked staff from Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Toronto Water, Strategic Communications, Emergency Management, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, as well as Island residents, many of whom were present in the Chamber, for keeping the Islands open and safe. Councillor Cressy also recognized Chief Pegg, Toronto Fire Services, for sending recruits to help fill sandbags. Mayor Tory came forward to offer his thanks to Councillor Cressy and acknowledged that the preparation work that was done based on the learning of previous flooding made a big difference. Mayor Tory thanked staff and residents for learning the lessons of 2017 and applying them in 2019 to avert what could have been a very bad situation.

Councillor Layton, during the morning session of the meeting advised Members of Council that the City has proclaimed Friday, August 16, the opening day of the 2019 Canadian National Exhibition, as CNE Day. Councillor Layton, as the municipal representative on the Canadian National Exhibition Association Board of Directors, welcomed the Board's President John Kiru and First Vice-President Suzan Hall, Director Jacquie Perrin, as well as members and staff of its External Relations Committee, who were present in the Chamber. Councillor Layton thanked the Board for putting on an excellent event in past years, and what was sure to be an excellent event this year, and encouraged Members of Council to "go to the Ex."

Councillor Wong-Tam, during the morning session of the meeting, welcomed students and their instructor from the Academy of Learning, a private career college, who were present in the Chamber.

Deputy Speaker Carroll, during the afternoon session of the meeting, asked Members of Council to recognize Nunziata's grandson, who was present in the Chamber.

Mayor Tory, during the afternoon session of the meeting, announced to the Members of Council that yesterday was Councillor Crawford's birthday and extended his congratulations. 

July 17, 2019

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Councillor Grimes to come forward to recognize Dianne Young, Chief Executive Officer of Exhibition Place on her retirement from the City of Toronto. Councillor Grimes provided highlights of Ms. Young's 31-year career with the City, of which 22 were with Exhibition Place, and invited Mayor Tory to come forward. Mayor Tory congratulated Ms. Young, on behalf of Members of Council and the people of Toronto, for her efforts over many years and presented Ms. Young with a scroll. Ms Young addressed City Council and thanked Council for its support over the years, thanked the Board of Governors of Exhibition Place, and stated that it's been an honour to be part of the Toronto Public Service.

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong to come forward to recognize the Toronto winners at the 2019 China Innovation and Entrepreneurship International Competition. Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong recognized Zhuang Yaodong, Acting Consul General of China and Shen Jianlei, Consul for Science and Technology, who were present in the Chamber, spoke about the history of the relationship between Shenzhen, China and the City of Toronto, and showed a video about the competition. Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong introduced to the Chamber the Toronto innovation companies that made it to the finals and won prizes in the various categories of the competition: Fibos, Genecis Bioindustries, ARHT Media and Nanodevice Solutions. Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong also recognized the following members of the Canada Confederation of Shenzhen Associations and the Sci Innovation Centre, hosts of the competition's Canada Division, who were present in the Chamber: Jenny Qi, Chairperson of the Canada Confederation of Shenzhen Associations, Leo Liu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sci Innovation Centre, Reza Moridi, Honorary Chair of the Sci Experts Advisory Council, and Songnian Zhou, Chair of the Sci Experts Advisory Council.

Mayor Tory, during the morning session of the meeting, rose to pay special tribute to Reza Moridi, former Ontario Minister of Innovation and Science, who was present in the Chamber. Mayor Tory noted that Toronto is the third-biggest source of innovative and tech jobs in North America and credited this fact as a tribute to Mr. Moridi's hard work.

July 18, 2019

Speaker Nunziata, during the morning session of the meeting, invited Wendy Walberg, City Solicitor to introduce articling students from Legal Services who were present in the Chamber. They are Aiden Alexio, Gaëlle Houehounkpe, Aisha Hussain, Molly Lowson, Amna Shakil, and Tushar Sharma.

Councillor Colle, during the morning session of the meeting, rose to thank City of Toronto staff from Toronto Water, Transportation Services, and Toronto Fire Services who responded to the emergency in the west end of the City. Councillor Colle advised Council that eighty millimetres of rain fell in a two-hour period and he thanked staff who cleared the catch basins and pulled cars out of rain ponds for responding quickly, effectively and efficiently.