The JAZZ BISTRO Restaurant in downtown Toronto located at 251 Victoria Street, Toronto, was full to the capacity last Sunday when Mr. John Howard Tory once again seized the opportunity to address his supporters from the cross section of the Black Community and reiterated his programs for the city of Toronto.

At JAZZ BISTRO Restaurant, Friends of John Tory, Community Leaders, and Youth Advocates organized a special Thank You Reception for the Many Years of Dedication as an Advocate & Supporter of Toronto’s African Canadian Community. The occasion was attended by Friends, Community Leaders and Youth Advocates. Speakers from various community groups that attended the occasion reeled out qualities of John Tory evidencing their supports and endorsement to be the Next Mayor of Toronto. One of the speakers described John Tory as a man who knows how to successfully lead, manage and obtain results from large and complex organizations. John Tory’s ability to stabilize Rogers when he was the President and CEO of Rogers, one of the Canada’s largest publishing and broadcasting companies, and as Commissioner and Chairman of the Canadian Football League are qualities that the business world still refers to today.

Welcome to the world of John Tory, a Politician, lawyer, business leader, community activist and broadcaster. A former elected representative who served as a Member of Provincial Parliament for Dufferin Peel Wellington Grey, a Leader of the Ontario PC Party and a Leader of the Official Opposition in the Ontario Parliament. He is one of the major three Toronto Mayoral Contestants.

John Howard Tory was born in Toronto, Ontario on May 28, 1954. Tory received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Trinity College, University of Toronto in 1975. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1978 from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1980. From 1972 to 1979, Tory was hired by family friend Ted Rogers as a Journalist for Rogers Broadcasting's Toronto radio stations CFTR and CHFI. From 1980 to 1981, and later from 1986 to 1995, Tory held various positions at Tory, Tory, DesLauriers & Binnington including partner, managing partner, and member of the Executive Committee.

In 2003, he ran as a mayoral candidate in the 2003 Toronto municipal election and lost to David Miller. Despite widespread speculation that he would run for mayor again in 2010, he announced in January that he would not be a candidate. On February 24, 2014, he registered as a candidate for the 2014 mayoral election.

The cross section of the Black Community in the GTA attended the event. Dr. Ola Kassim who is the Patron of Yoruba Community Association in the GTA and some YCA members who attended were: Chief Tunde Olagundoye, Chief Josiah Idowu and Chief Baipee Oladayo Akindolie. Dr. Ola Kassim described Mr. John Tory as “a man of unmatched and impeccable character, very unassuming, a man with genuine purpose, a man of his words, an action man and to cap it all a man of cerebral and honest to the core”. Dr. Ola Kassim went further to say that John Tory is a man for the people, a leader and a man of high quality standard that could be trusted. He supported John Tory because “John Tory is the only man that will lead Toronto to greater height with his humility, generosity, integrity, hardwork and honesty’. He canvassed that all Torontonians should support John Tory to become the next Mayor of Toronto because he is capable and credible and all these qualities are worthy to be emulated from him.

Noel Farrell did not mince words when he mounted the podium and said, “Mr. John Tory is an individual who has made significant contributions both of his time and resources”. He recounted early one summer morning when campers arrived, the utilities were off. There was no hot water for the campers, aged 6-16 and a phone call was made to Mr. John Tory from a camp director, John made sure that the utilities were on and later that day John visited the camp to make sure that everything was ok. He described John Tory as a down to earth man. Noel Farrell told the mammoth crowd how John appeared in one of the Centres’s Annual Celebration of a program where John presented the Camper of the Year Award to a 13 year old. “How many Politicians have you seen mingling with the youth in Public places?” Farrell went further to say that when John Tory made an unofficial appearance at Toronto’s Nathan Phillip’s Square for Youth Day in 2006 he did not show off with microphone or mount the stage but instead he engaged the youth, the youth are now voters of today, so John Tory is perfect for the job as he is ready to take care of the youth Noel Concluded.

John Tory’s records still remain unbeatable as Mr. Tory has an extensive background in volunteer community service. He served as volunteer Chairman and Commissioner of the Canadian Football League and has chaired fundraising campaigns for St. Michael’s Hospital and the United Way. He maintains an active involvement in those two organizations, as well as chairing the current fundraising campaign for the Toronto International Film Festival. He also holds leadership positions in a wide range of charitable organizations ranging from autism to kids at risk, Canadian authors and children with physical disabilities.

John Tory was a founding Board Member and is the voluntary Chair of the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (formerly called the Toronto City Summit Alliance), a highly respected city-building organization. He hosts a daily three hour talk show on Canada’s leading talk station Newstalk 1010.

John Tory’s community work has been widely recognized as a recipient of both the Paul Harris and Mel Osborne Awards from the Rotary and Kiwanis organizations respectively and was named a Life Member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He is also the recipient of an African Canadian Achievement Award.

Before leaving the Restarurant, Mr. John Tory informed all that he would execute all the underlisted plans for Toronto when he becomes the Mayor of Toronto. These are some of John Tory’s Plan

• One Toronto Transit Plan
• Making Toronto the next “ Music City”
• To save Tree Canopy by planting 3.8 Million Trees
• Fighting Gridlock Initiative
• A more affordable Toronto means keeping taxes low, particularly the city’s property taxes. Every wasted dollar is a lost opportunity to invest in what matters most to Torontonians: building transit, repairing crumbling roads, city infrastructure, and strengthening the city’s neighbourhoods
• John Tory will find and eliminate the real waste at City Hall and invest in Torontonians’ priorities. Toronto also needs to attract jobs and investments. John Tory will keep Toronto’s taxes low and cut the needless red tape to bring more business and better jobs to all of Toronto
• Jobs to Scarborough
• Tory will lead a new business Hub in Toronto
• One Toronto Plan addresses Youth Unemployment problem
• “One Toronto “Jobs and economy Plan