From My Bottom Step

As one of Canada’s most vibrant and livable cities, London has a strong foundation, innovative ideas, and a renewed commitment to build on its strengths, as we work together to make our great city even better. Since my last Address much has changed. So much so, that it’s imperative for us to rethink and redefine a plan to create a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and a safer world.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for being here. I appreciate this opportunity through the London Chamber of Commerce to share some thoughts on how the City will focus its time, effort and work in 2009, as we all strive to do our part in shaping London’s future.

As always, I am joined by my colleagues on City Council and in our Administration, and would like to take a moment to recognize them. Together, we have transformed our corporation and public service several times during my time in office, constantly challenging ourselves with this question:

“‘Are we doing the right things to build a stronger city, and a brighter future for our citizens and our society?”

We’ve answered that question several ways with our proactive Strategic Plan. Shortly, I’ll highlight a few of the Plan’s ever-evolving key strategies, but first I must address one critical issue currently impacting our city, our region, our country and our world – the economy.

People are worried and understandably so. They are concerned about whether they’ll have a job, can pay the bills or put food on the table. I want you to clearly know that I am committed, and City Council is committed, to doing everything possible to help. And now, the need for a partnership with higher levels of government to take immediate action to address this economic crisis has never been so great.

In its fall report, the Conference Board of Canada reviewed how Canada fares among countries in the world, and found we have many of the fundamentals in place that underpin a strong economic performance. This strength will be critical, as we ease out of recession and boost our productivity and global competitiveness.

Yet, even though we are better positioned than many other nations, the rules of the game change every day and it will take an enormous effort on a variety of fronts to pull Canada to the top. So, we must work smarter to find more efficient and effective ways to produce goods and services for the marketplace and introduce ongoing innovation in health care, education and the environment.

The actions of a new American President, coupled with the uncertain leadership of our country at the present time, will impact how quickly and in what direction North America moves to rebound and re-establish our continent as a major player on the world stage.

Factors like an unsettled dollar, financial bailouts, the struggling automotive and manufacturing sectors, and fluctuating energy prices will continue to influence how well we can compete both locally and on a national scale.

Even so, I am optimistic and believe London is well positioned to address these challenges, while also finding new opportunities to strengthen our community and provide hope to our residents.

Regarding one of the City’s Strategic Goals, imparting respect and action toward sustainable growth reminds us we don’t always have the answers, but we are committed to proactive measures. As such, London must keep pace with an expanding definition of sustainability and innovative ways to attain it.

First and foremost is the important work of our London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) to help stabilize local work forces and product lines, and continually seek out new partners and fresh ideas. For such efforts, LEDC is now ranked in the Top Ten Canadian Economic Development Groups.

Despite regional job loss through closures and relocations in 2008, LEDC attracted more than $200 million and 1400 new jobs through new investment and expansion. Among our successes, you’ll recall in my last Address I had the privilege of announcing that Hanwha, the 5th largest conglomerate in Korea, chose London for its Canadian Headquarters. As an update, full production at Hanwha is set to start this summer and employees are already being recruited.

And, having recently visited the Hanwha Head Office in Seoul, with LEDC and University of Western Ontario representatives, it is clear endless possibilities for further collaboration in research development and manufacturing do exist. Interestingly, during our Korean visit, the Canadian Ambassador informed us numerous Ontario cities were knocking on the door, trying to find London’s secret to success.

It’s not really a big secret. It’s more about hard work, persistence and determination, and always looking outside the box to see where the pieces might fit to lead to a new company, investment or relationship. Such is the case in London securing another Korean investment of $10 million with potential to change the future of humankind.

Thanks to the ingenuity of a research team here at Western, led by Doctor Yong Kang, the global advance towards a vaccine for HIV/AIDS is a step closer to realization. This experimental vaccine, developed in London, is licensed to Sumagen Canada, a division of Curocom in Korea and has been manufactured for use in toxicology and human trials. Enticing Curocom’s investment enabled Western to be the first research team in the world to successfully develop the vaccine, and we await trial results in just a few months.

This advancement comes at a critical time, as Western is one of four organizations on a national short list to build a high tech, leading edge HIV vaccine manufacturing facility in Canada. The $88 million project is jointly funded by the Federal government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and it will be the first and only such facility in the country. This unprecedented opportunity showcases London’s strengths in research and life sciences, and elevates our reputation as a leader in this field.

We see similar success with other London research partners also attracting multi-millions of funding dollars in hopes of finding new treatments and cures across many disciplines. In one example, Robarts Research Institute and the Lawson Health Research Institute liaised with the Fowler Kennedy Clinic to discover that routinely-practiced knee surgery is actually ineffective in reducing joint pain or improving joint function for sufferers of osteoarthritis.

Meantime, at St. Joseph’s Health Care, an extreme makeover continues to improve patient care, with the next phase in urology taking shape and a new 20-bed unit at Parkwood improving access to acute care. And, at London Health Sciences Centre, there is another world surgical first with the da Vinci Robot used in intestinal bypass surgery, improving recovery time.

Partnerships with our research and health care centres of excellence are certainly key components of London’s competitive edge, while initiatives driven by the University of Western Ontario, our affiliated colleges and Fanshawe College also propel our city’s reputation.

Western’s Research Park continues to expand, most recently with more than $20 million invested in the region’s advanced manufacturing sector. The first tenant, Lanxess Inc, is a worldwide leader in specialty chemicals, becoming the global centre for polymer research.

Western also opened its Biotron Climate Change Research Centre – the first of its kind anywhere. And, on the educational front, this is the 7th consecutive year that Western earned the #1 ranking among large Canadian universities for ‘Best Student Experience’ in a Globe and Mail poll. Also on campus, King’s, Brescia and Huron University Colleges all ranked highly among Canadian universities in the annual Maclean’s Magazine survey by students.

Meantime, Fanshawe College is strategically moving toward applied research and innovation. Recent projects include developing better methods and improved devices to protect seniors from life-threatening hip fractures. Fanshawe researchers are also exploring ways to increase battery life in a proto-type solar-powered electric golf cart. This technology could then be applied to airport ground utility vehicles and other small vehicles that currently run on gasoline.

Strong education and research sectors definitely help elevate London to world class levels, and play a key role in attracting new business and expanding existing enterprises in our region. As an example, Diamond Aircraft was recently selected as the research and development headquarters for an investment in the D-Jet of over $100 million.

Other London advantages we need to constantly promote include our strategic location between two metropolitan centres and several boarder crossings; easy access to national freight and passenger rail service; a busy truck hub along three major highways; and an international airport that has expanded air services by more than 60% in the past decade. In fact, with direct flights coast to coast, London is now the third busiest airport in Canada for total aircraft movements, including training aircraft.

And, more investment is on the horizon with LEDC’s latest success. I am pleased to announce the expansion of two local companies. Agility has tripled its size to a 145-thousand square foot facility for distribution logistics, while London Machinery is expanding its current production of specialty cement trucks to include other vehicles. Congratulations to both companies on their decisions to invest in London, and we will do the official groundbreaking for London Machinery’s new 150-thousand square foot building later today.

Our strategic location remains vital as we also strive to establish London and our region as a transportation hub in southwestern Ontario. To this end, City Council fully supports the creation of a high speed passenger rail service between Windsor and Quebec City, with a key stop in London. Council also supports a free trade zone around our international airport for goods entering and leaving the country.

As such, London recently received a federal export designation as a distribution centre, so international goods are now allowed into the airport, where they can be stored or repackaged by London companies and shipped out again, tax free. This measure will eventually attract other new industries and create hundreds of new jobs. It is also especially important, as London is now recognized as part of the Canadian-European Open Skies Trade Treaty, with access to international multi-billion dollar industries.

Being a transportation hub also supports our regional agriculture industry, recognizing that London sits amid a fertile nine-county region for food production. On this front, good news continues for the new Original Cakerie Company, which opens its London plant this spring with 400 jobs, and will move ahead with phase two by 2011, creating an additional 200 jobs. This is welcome news indeed.

LEDC is focusing its efforts in other important areas, as well. For instance, more than 800 students and 400 businesses will participate in the 2nd Annual Student-2-Business Networking Conference aimed at keeping our best and brightest here, by connecting them with potential employers. Dr. Richard Florida will be the guest speaker. Supporting this same goal, King’s University College recently launched its ‘London First’ Internship Program connecting 8 students with workplace experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors.

LEDC also initiated the Southwestern Ontario Automotive Outlook and will hold its second conference this March, bringing together a who’s who of automotive parts players to harness new ideas on current industry trends to support this vital sector across our region. Such initiatives are even more important in light of our struggling automotive sector. That’s why the Ontario Automotive Mayors for Investment (OAMI) is devising a plan of action to keep local jobs. Our message is clear – the Federal and Provincial governments must provide tangible support measures to this ailing sector, so it does not collapse.

As Mayors, we also believe bilateral discussions with the United States are essential, so any American bailout packages do not come at the expense of our Canadian jobs. It is a fact that for every one direct job in this sector, 7 others will be affected. Such devastation to our manufacturing companies would be difficult to rebound from, so it is in everyone’s interest to work together

The busy LEDC team also successfully lobbied for London to become an official part of Ontario’s Technology Corridor along with Ottawa, Toronto, Kitchener and Waterloo Region, putting us on the radar for potential investments in the high-tech and knowledge-based sectors. And, we await the VenturePrize London winners being announced. This collaborative effort by London’s four economic development partners (LEDC, techalliance, The Stiller Centre and Small Business Centre) inspires entrepreneurs to move their ideas forward with support of local businesses and associations.

Another way to support our business and industry sectors is to be financially competitive. The good news is Moody’s has again recognized our London’s prudent fiscal plan with a Aaa rating – for the 31st year in a row. Also, despite the current economic times, London housing starts, real estate sales and new construction continue to be steady; our debt levels have been reduced year over year; and we have strategically capped our new capital spending.

Still, as we finalize the 2009 municipal budget, we are being tested to keep costs as low as possible, yet continue to offer the quality service and programs Londoners deserve. In the past three years, we have been able to limit tax increases to well under 3% and I am hopeful City Council can do it again.

Recognizing the value of joining together to sell our region as ‘Canada’s Gateway to North American Trade’ and one of the country’s strongest economic engines, the Southwest Economic Alliance (SWEA) continues to solidify. Our part of the province accounts for 25% of Ontario jobs and we are at the centre of Canada’s trade with the United States, worth more than $750 billion a year, the largest bi-national trading relationship in the world.

With this fact in mind, higher levels of government are duty-bound to provide tangible financial support to our region’s road and transportation needs, and built infrastructure to attract more business. In fact, SWEA believes we should be recognized as Ontario’s centre of excellence in trade and transportation, making it so attractive that new companies won’t want to invest anywhere else.

This confidence reinforces my earlier comment that with the right asset mix, London is fully capable of being a major growth centre along this transportation corridor. It is also the same message the Big City Mayors’ Caucus (BCMC) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) have sent to Parliament with a loud and clear voice.

Cities are at the heart of social, cultural and economic development required to stimulate and build vitality, prosperity and growth. Cities are also the engine behind a strong economy and must have a major commitment from both the Federal and Provincial governments to remain competitive.

The issues raised by FCM are shared by all cities, small, medium and large. Poverty and homelessness are not just local issues; traffic gridlock and smog are not just local issues; crumbling roads, bridges and rusting water mains are not just local issues; the safety of our neighbourhoods is not just a local issue.

As members of FCM, we say, these and many other areas of concern are national issues being played out in homes across the country, where Canadians live and raise their families. And so, we implore all parties of both governments to deliver concrete plans on how they will support cities today and into the future.

Our case to Federal Parliament includes a stimulus package for infrastructure, while our three longer term key priorities remain the same – a national housing strategy; a national transportation plan; and a strategy to ensure revenues that grow with the economy are shared with cities.

The future viability of Canada’s core infrastructure also depends on both Federal and Provincial funding to close a gap of $123 billion nationwide to repair or replace existing roads, sewers, watermains and bridges. Municipalities are currently doing their best to pay their share, but this tremendous funding gap affects us all.

On the Provincial side, I commend the Ontario government’s plan to take back the expense of several previously downloaded programs that are financially burdening municipalities. These include Ontario Drug benefits, Ontario Disability Support Program benefit payments and administrative costs, Ontario Works benefit payments and Court Security costs. After several years of advocacy, a Provincial plan is now in place to reverse these costs and eventually save local taxpayers more than $52 million a year by 2018.

We also realize time is money, and if you can’t efficiently travel or move goods and services around London, citizens suffer in one way or another. So, it remains a Council priority to build and coordinate an effective transportation system that links to regional, provincial and national transportation networks. This goal also promotes alternative modes of travel to reduce our dependency on automobiles.

London Transit is a big part of that solution. New smart bus technology is revolutionizing this important service by outfitting our fleet with onboard displays and announcements, and outside audio to keep awaiting passengers informed of arrival times. The LTC is also an essential City partner in creating bus rapid transit service, as part of our Transportation Master Plan.

We all aspire to leave a bright future for generations to come and I am proud of the work already undertaken. But, we cannot rest on our laurels. For months, we have witnessed global economic changes impacting livelihoods around the world, giving us even more reason to keep our community strong and vital. Such action takes many forms. It’s about ensuring strong neighbourhoods where we can raise strong children. It’s about caring for our most vulnerable, so everyone has a home. It’s about embracing diversity and varied cultures celebrated around the world, which are now taking root in our city.

It’s about enriching the heart of downtown, Richmond Row and Old East Village through new investment. It’s about rolling out the red carpet to tourists and visitors, enticing them to visit again. And, it’s about understanding we are a creative city and a well-rounded community, where arts, culture and heritage deepen our quality of life.

Community leaders are joining forces in so many ways to make positive change. Through the newly formed Child and Youth Network and London CAReS, we are confronting illiteracy, homelessness, poverty and childhood obesity, while Global Spectrum and the John Labatt Centre raised money to build a home on Kipps Lane for Habitat for Humanity.

Philanthropy can also be found in companies and businesses throughout our community. Thank you for continuing to support the United Way and the London Food Bank, especially as daily needs grow greater. Thanks for your generous support of every charitable organization that depends on private donations to keep its doors open. Your actions are pivotal to the viability of these many worthwhile services in our city.

We have also seen strong partnerships in the revitalization of our core, Richmond Row and Old East Village. For a number of years, we have implemented many programs to leverage private sector investment, so more people are now living downtown, working downtown and taking advantage of the many restaurants, cafes, shopping and entertainment available downtown. And, this year, we’ll pull all these initiatives together by creating a comprehensive Master Plan to identify all investment opportunities in the core.

The Plan will include incentives to support rehabilitating heritage structures and restoring storefronts; funding for projects to bring buildings up to code and modernize designs; and further assessment of the role of transit and need for parking.

Such incentives also played a major role in two key developments by Toronto investors in Old East Village. Medallion Corporation is constructing a new 600-unit rental apartment complex, while Terrasan Developments is building a 150-unit condominium development. As a result, more than 1500 more people will move into the area and support local businesses. Old East Village is also liaising with London Hydro to implement the Power Savings Blitz Program, which helps small storefront businesses save energy and money by providing free lighting retrofits.

Meantime, London’s tapestry of arts, culture, heritage, festivals, sports and music all illustrate the importance of feeding the soul, as well as the mind and body. Appreciating this importance, London has a new public art policy, supporting the display of art in various places across the community to strengthen our natural assets and promote unique attractions.

With this in mind, the newly designed Springbank Gardens now features Sunday afternoon concerts in the summer and a natural connection to our pathway systems and green spaces. On the heritage front, Eldon House, London’s oldest home, marks its 175th anniversary this year, while the carved London Thames River Heritage Tree will be displayed in Ottawa as part of the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Heritage River Systems.

Through a new partnership with Greyhound Buslines, Tourism London is now promoting The Forest City far and wide with a distinctive traveling bus billboard, inviting motorists and passengers along the 401 Highway to check us out. And, check us out they will, as Skate Canada returns with the 2010 Canadian Figure Skating Championships and London is the lead contender in hosting either the 2012 or 2013 World Figure Skating Championships. We’ll also play host to the Canadian Special Olympics next year, and Londoners will experience the Winter Olympics in a personal way, as the Olympic Torch Run makes a Christmas Eve stop in our city en route to Vancouver.

In 2011, London will host over 2500 people when we welcome the Annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference, one of the largest conventions ever to be awarded to our city. And, congratulations to the London Convention Centre on winning a national gold award for its marketing campaign ‘You Should Be Here’. The strategy complements other community initiatives, like Ambassador London, that showcase the very best of who we are and what our city is all about, full of promise and opportunity.

Similar creative energy landed the Corporation of the City of London a national EMCY multicultural award by the ‘Enriching My Canada and Yours Foundation’, which recognizes outstanding contributions to diversity programs across the country.

In fact, there are far too many examples of London’s creativity, vitality and strength to mention, yet one asset is so important to our future, it is all encompassing – and that is the environment. One misconception is that the environment is only about planting more trees, increasing recycling and establishing boundaries to stop cities from growing.

Yet, we should never have to choose between the economic wellbeing of our families and the environmental health of our community. For many companies and industries, environmental changes are seen as a good thing to implement. For others, going green presents an exciting opportunity to create new and different jobs that don’t even exist today, to build new markets for development and growth, and to enhance London’s reputation as a world class city.

For several decades, our city has been a leader in establishing a fine legacy of initiatives, while also working with thousands of Londoners on environmental projects like Reforest London and the GM Drive Green Initiative. We can all be proud of our local accomplishments.

More recently, the Mayor’s Sustainable Energy Council (MSEC) has created a new website (www.london.ca/energysaver) to promote, encourage and support the development and implementation of research, initiatives and investment in the area of sustainable energy, including energy conservation, efficiency and alternative energy for London and surrounding region. Another MSEC initiative is the development of a Speakers’ Series with Nobel Prize winner, Gordon McBean, launching the first lecture entitled ‘Our Climate is Changing: How should we respond?’ It’s a free event at Museum London on February 10th.

Overall, the City of London has been progressively greening its vehicle fleet and retrofitting its existing buildings to reduce energy consumption. We currently have two proposed electricity-generating solar energy projects in various stages of design. The first is a great three-way partnership of the City, the London Public Library and Old South Community Organization. The second is located at the Tourism London building on Wellington Road South. And, we are making use of geothermal or ground-source heating and cooling at the newly acquired Exeter Road Operations Centre.

We also look to our local business leaders to play a significant role in addressing climate change and sustainable energy challenges and opportunities. Companies like Royal Bank of Canada, Jones Packaging, Conference Cup, Old Oak, Auburn Homes and Suncor are just a few introducing corporate social responsibility principles into their business plans.

Some of these commitments are easy to see. If you go to a Loblaws store, you will see signs encouraging use of cloth bags and green household products. If you walk into a Home Depot, you will see prominent displays of ‘Eco-Option’ housewares and household appliances.

Think of the many local entrepreneurs at Covent Garden Market, Richmond Row, Wortley Village and elsewhere in London, which offer fair-trade coffee, locally-grown produce or gifts made with environmentally-friendly materials.

Also, the London Home Builders Association has demonstrated real leadership with energy efficiency and conservation initiatives like the ‘Home at Last’ Program and the ‘LEEP Innovators Initiative’. They are also working with local School Boards to encourage youth to enter building trades. In fact, London surpasses all other Ontario cities for its number of new housing developments where ‘Energy Star’ new homes are being built.

Many local institutions are also embracing corporate social responsibility. London Health Sciences Centre is using ecological footprint tools to manage its energy and resource use, while encouraging staff to evaluate their personal habits. The Sisters of St. Joseph have built London’s first LEED-certified ‘green building’, with the University of Western Ontario not far behind.

Although our past practices show improvement in many areas, more can and should be done to change our environmental behaviours at home, at work and in the community. So, what are our next steps?

“Green to Compete” is a new term you will hear me speak about a great deal in the coming months. It relies on partners at many levels striving to make a difference through innovative programs and policies introduced in a collaborative way.

“Green to Compete” goes beyond the traditional carbon footprint reductions. It considers things such as diversifying energy sources, new technology, construction of high performance energy efficient buildings and homes, increased coordination of investments in transportation and public infrastructure, and pioneering bold new solutions to energy challenges.

And, there are significant benefits in doing this. Green communities attract progressive corporations and quality work forces. Green development reduces the cost of municipal services like water, hydro and transit, and can make companies more profitable by reducing energy consumption. It will also reduce expenses and risk relating to carbon taxes and other senior level government programs in the future.

Now more than ever before, business people, companies and industries understand what’s good for the environment is also good for business. Just as communities throughout the world are finding it imperative to be green to compete, developers and builders understand they must go green to market their products to the ever-expanding green consumer.

Knowing this, I am happy to announce the Mayor’s Sustainable Energy Council, City of London Planning and Engineering staff, London Home Builders, the London Development Institute and the University of Western Ontario will be collaborating on a London Green Development Strategy and determining its economic potential. The seeds for this initiative were sewn in December, through a community discussion and workshop involving these organizations.

The City will integrate a culture of green development into the projects it builds in our community, and through the strategy, the City will encourage its associated Boards and Commissions to do likewise. We’ll consider incentives for going green through zoning bonuses and other innovative planning techniques. And, we’ll work with the development industry to facilitate the incorporation of green elements into the homes, stores, workplaces and communities they build.

Municipal governments can be great facilitators and motivators for this type of innovation. But, processes must be effectively managed, so regulations and red tape don’t interfere with innovation. In the coming weeks, I will be asking Council to direct City staff to work with MSEC to review our Official Plan and Zoning By-law to ensure we do not have unnecessary barriers to green technologies and development.

And, we can lead by example. The City of London has partnered with one of our outstanding developers, Sifton Properties, to explore the opportunity for an innovative ‘green community’ in Riverbend Heights.

Imagine living in a community that includes urban parks, clinics, cafes and retail uses in its heart. The narrow streets are lined with houses emphasizing front porches and a double row of trees along sidewalks encouraging walking – clearly pedestrians come first.

Imagine walking and cycling trails are interwoven throughout the neighbourhood taking you to routes along the Thames River and to the community hub, where you can socialize, shop and conveniently access transit.

Imagine, landscaping has been carefully selected to reduce the need for watering, and storm water is collected to irrigate lawns and gardens, and for other creative purposes to conserve water use. And, imagine there is a community energy generator utilizing groundwater aquifer to heat buildings in the winter and cool them in the summer, while commercial parking lots collect solar energy. Such ideas are currently a focus of national innovation.

Together with senior levels of government, the City and Sifton are finalizing feasibility studies, as the project design begins to take shape. More work will continue and more partners will be added to make this evolving dream to a reality. And, applying this same collaborative spirit to other projects will indeed move London to the forefront in developing green.

I believe we are on the threshold of a paradigm shift in civic responsibility. People are seeking ways to go green and will gladly get involved with the right tools at their fingertips. So, as your Mayor and an active member of MSEC, I want to share some ways to make your green participation, as business leaders, that much easier.

As such, the City has developed Action Cards with information to quickly implement or streamline an energy plan in your business, organization or home. The Cards offer best practices and other ideas for going green and the financial benefits of doing so.

This is my call to action, and I ask you to please use the Action Card – first at your office for discussion with your staff and then share it with your family, so everyone can get involved. For instance, by driving less and conserving energy, a simple savings of $50 a month on fill-ups and utility bills could save you $600 a year.

Also helping you go green, I am pleased to announce the upcoming launch of a Zerofootprint London website. Beginning in late February, businesses will be able to determine their carbon footprints and purchase credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their business travel, energy use, fleet fuel use and generated waste. Residents will also be able to use the Personal Carbon Manager tool to identify ways to reduce their household footprints and find local products and services. Most importantly, London will be the first municipality in Canada exploring the ability and desire of its citizens and businesses to purchase local offsets.

And, as we continue to strive for excellence in energy saving, we plan to recognize those businesses doing exemplary work in this field. With this goal in mind, I am pleased to announce MSEC’s Energy Saver Recognition Awards. Our purpose is to formally acknowledge sustainable energy business achievements that truly stand above the rest. The first Award recipients will be announced this fall.

Throughout my address, it was important to layout the foundation of our past, as we look to our tomorrows. Thomas Jefferson said “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” So, the time is now, ladies and gentlemen, to fight for that future, especially amid the challenges and changes evident in our world.

We have no limits to what is possible, if we work together with a common goal and strengthened sense of purpose. We have the foundation in place to reach our potential, and more importantly, we have a passion and spirit that can lift this city to greater heights.

This is what we, as Londoners, do best – we reach out to one another, confident, focused and determined. The hopes and dreams we have for each other and for our community as a whole can be our reality. And, if we are committed and willing to give our best, then the best is what we will have.

London – the city that will be.

I copied Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco Best’s address directly from the city website. A day later than most other sites where it’s available, I know, but I bothered to get permission to republish. And because I couldn’t get a copy in advance, even though I tried.