Barbara Hall in a recent interview had this to say:

“I would like to congratulate the Ukrainian Community for the incredible contribution they have made to Toronto and the country. What we celebrate today was done by Ukrainian’s going back to the mid 1800’s, where they made an important impact in every aspect of Ukrainian life, business, education, sports, arts, culture, and medicine.

Ukrainian Canadians nurture, celebrate and continue the Ukrainian culture, but are also strong, passionate and committed Canadians in this very diverse community.

You are a great example of how to bring the past and the future together. This summer at the Bloor West Ukrainian Festival there were many young people, very Canadian but also very proud of their Ukrainian Heritage.

While I was on City Council, I was proud to support the Twinning of Toronto and Kyiv. I understand there’s a similar relationship with Chicago, and I think in the future there will be many opportunities for Toronto, Chicago and Kyiv to work together to explore economic and cultural opportunities. We can use some of our expertise to help deal with some of the issues in the Ukraine, and to ensure that in the future members of the Ukrainian Community continue to be proud Canadians, and Torontonians of Ukrainian ancestry.”

Her broad and far-ranging experiences have equipped her with first-hand insights into what makes communities work. Her work as Chair of the National Strategy has contributed to some of the most dramatic decreases in crime ever recorded. She has become a recognized expert on urban issues and has been invited to advise governments in Europe, Asia and Latin America with the challenges faced by cities.

Ms. Hall served as mayor of the City of Toronto from 1994-1997. She was educated at Osgoode Hall Law School, and was admitted to the Bar of Upper Canada in 1980.

“I want Toronto to be a city with a vibrant cultural community, with strong social services, with great schools and parks, and a City Hall filled with creative, ambitious, innovative people. I am an optimist, but I’m also a realist, and I know none of this is possible if we drive away commercial investment.”

“Environmental planning for the future is a priority for us, our children and our children’s children. Protecting the environment is a long term plan that must start today.”

“We need a new kind of urban leadership. With little money and limited power, today’s leaders must be nimble. They must be able to link complex issues together. They must build coalitions between unlikely partners. They must look beyond their borders to the cities next door and around the world.”

Barbara Hall stands for issues such as Arts and Recreation, planting trees and rejuvenating green spaces, better Transit, code of ethics at city hall, and homelessness. She wants to get tough on litter and graffiti, crime and safety, and create a strong economic strategy.

“I’ve been proud to work with the community in the past, and look forward to working with the community together in the future. We need to get our city moving again; to create opportunities for all of our children, parents and grandparents to make sure that tax dollars (many of which are contributed by Ukrainian Canadians here in Toronto) are spent effectively and efficiently”.

For details of Barbara Hall’s issues, check her website @ www.barbarahall.com

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Originally Composed: Thursday October 30th 2003.
Date last modified: Thursday October 30th 2003.