The
National Post writes on the Lord Provost of Glasgow's recent Toronto visit. Bob Winter, in Toronto this past Monday as part of his North American tour, reached out to Torontonians with the message that Glasgow and Toronto should leverage their similarities into stronger business partnerships.
"[Bob Winter's] trade visit comes during Scotland Week in North America; it also comes three years before Glasgow is set to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, to be followed a year later by the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto."
"Our eye from the very beginning has been on the legacy that we can get for our own city and for our own people ... showcasing our city, giving a tremendous warm welcome to everyone who visits," said Mr. Winter in a lilting Scottish accent."
"Glasgow will likely have "a lot to share" with Toronto about the experience of hosting the games, Mr. Winter said, citing an unprecedented opportunity to invest in new facilities and promote the city on a worldwide level."
"Glasgow has developed over the years from a heavily industrial and overcrowded city to one that has shed half its population in Mr. Winter's lifetime, a development attributed in part to the post-war period and the industrial collapse of the 1980s."
"The city has rebounded since then, and Mr. Winter says the River Clyde has been "transformed" by the departure of heavy industry. Today, he adds, as Glasgow struggles to recover from the most recent global economic downturn, the city has been investing in education and fostering stronger links with such cities as Toronto."
"These are key issues that we share: How do you regenerate a city and keep regenerating a city, because a city can never stand still," he said. "If you rest on your laurels at all, you can only go backward."
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National Post