It’s been a great sunny week in Toronto, the great Canadian city on the lakeshore of Ontario, probably the best kept secret in Northeast America.
The city is booming, and it has been for some years now – it shows everywhere you look and it’s always good to be here, even for a short time. About the 6 – Toronto downtown area code is 416 or 647, so if you get it, you’re part of a great community. On Thursday I attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Toronto, a historic old campus in the heart of the city. A fine young man graduated from the prestigious Rotman school of business and I was the proud dad. And there was something the chancellor said in his speech during the ceremony that resonated with me. He said this – we all need to do our best building communities, add to the quality of life with your work, with your talents, we must volunteer and get involved. The distinguished old man was absolutely right and gave great advice – work hard to become a part of something great. And I love the vibe of great universities. The way I understand their message is this: if you really want to know what’s going on in the world, read books and avoid the noise. Zoom out and think. Still, some noise can be charming, but one needs to watch the right people for a meaningful input. One is president Trump, of course. He is pushing the tariffs subject exactly how he promised to the people who voted for him. The mass media is up in arms. How can one even question the status quo? But the Donald is a businessman and he is totally right. All he wants is to start a negotiation to figure out what works best for America. What’s wrong with that? It’s a really long shot to figure out what will come out of it, but the conversation on the topic needs to continue. This is exactly what he is good at. And he is not alone in Washington; he seems to have meaningful backing, from the army at least. If he didn’t, he would likely be dead by now like JFK. And I like how Melanie puts her own spin on the events and shows how she is her own person. On Thursday, the first lady boarded a plane wearing an olive-green Zara style jacket with graffiti-style writing on the back that read “I really don’t care do U?” It’s a subtle art of not giving a damn, and I respect that. Live your life and let other people be. This message resonates with people way better than CNN would let you believe, assuming you still watch this channel. So, how does it all look from the 6? I spend less time here in Toronto than I would like, but I will say this: The 6 will make you feel welcomed the way New York never possibly can. And we just elected a new major who is not far from what the Donald stands for. It’s like the best of both worlds. The city is vibrant, the restaurants are great and people are very nice. “Sure”, my younger son would say, “but we don’t really mean it.” Still worth the trip to TO. And I will give you a ride on my big cruiser down the DVP for a Raptors game if you impress me.
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AuthorTom Kubiak is the author of The Traveler Archives
February 2021
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