City
What do Torontonians love most about their city?
After polling readers on what annoys them the most about Toronto, I need to make good on a promise to write up a counter post. As a number of commenters rightly pointed out, it's nice to balance out the gripes with a little love. I get the sense, however, that this is actually a slightly more difficult exercise.
Although many Torontonians do love their city, it's rare to meet those who proclaim this unabashedly. Instead, what I hear a lot of is "it's complicated." Perhaps it should be. If the populous doesn't have a healthy understanding of the things that are wrong with their city, it'd be near impossible for it to improve over time. And besides, uncritical love is really just fanaticism, which isn't good for anybody.
So here's my list. As always, please feel free to point out what I've failed to include in the comments section.
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That's what I love most about Toronto how there are so many good bars, pubs and restaurants to go to. My girlfriend and I make sure that we try a different bar and restaurant once a month. Also, the same places never get too tiresome. I'm looking at you Red Light -- great PBR night last Friday!
We have our problems in the city with racism but it is nothing like Europe.
Also love that the BIA's are getting people out of the malls and big boxes and back on the streets!
i agree with the racism/multicultural thing too, but to a certain extent; i feel a lot more comfortable in toronto than cities in europe, but i feel that this is more a toronto/vancouver/montreal sort of thing, rather than ALL of canada...i still feel a little uncomfortable and get some weird looks and overhear comments whenever i go up north to tobermory or other places out of the city. but still, not nearly as bad as europe, or the states, even.
but the one thing i love most about toronto is the food, yes, especially out in the 'burbs :)
I can only conclude that you have never been anywhere or are seriously in need of help with anger issues
Maybe all the haters can move to Edmonton, too.
What a downgrade, are you kidding me? No wonder he's a conservative, Edmonton is a cultural wasteland.
Also, "livability" is absurdly vague.
http://bit.ly/99ie8O
This city can be fixed, we all just need to pull together.
I love big bridges ... (like the one that can get you to Toronto island for the BBQ)
I love when great whites fly ... (Like the Porter)
I love the whole world ... (Toronto is the Multi-Culturism)
And all its sights and sounds ... (like police cars all night)
Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da! (Vashi likes this part the best)
I love the ocean ... (almost like the Lake Ontario)
I love real dirty things ... (Like the TTC)
I love to go fast ... (on the bike lanes)
I love Egyptian kings ... (Like the one at the Musuem)
I love the whole world ... (Toronto is the Multi-Culturism)
And all its craziness ... (Like the Jesus man that scares the People at the Yonge and Dundas)
Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da! (Vashi likes this part the best)
I love tornadoes ... (only on the CP24)
I love arachnids ... (they are helping to fight wasps in the corolla)
I love hot magma ... (like the Tim Hortons)
I love the giant squid …(like the one in the chinatown)
I love the whole world, it's such a brilliant place ... (Toronto is like the whole world in the smaller place)
Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-da! (This is Vashis favourite part)
Multiculturalism doesn't and shouldn't just mean that any Torontonian can waltz into India, Greece and Vietnam. For Toronto, that word has basically evolved into a brand: the government uses it to appeal to potential immigrants abroad to show that they will integrate well here; then they turn around and use the festivals and food establishments to appease the residents of the city and persuade them about the 'value' of immigration; and lastly the residents themselves use the word as a measure of how non-racist they are. Over-using the word multiculturalism does little to address the institutional, systemic racism, ignorance and pressure to assimilate that persist in the city.
Yes, on a surface level Toronto is 'multicultural' (as opposed to assimilationist) in that everyone co-exists and is given equitable rights to hang onto their racial/ethnic/cultural/religious identity. But in truth, it's not so simple. Immigrants often lead a double life, and they often struggle to find work that is worthy of their talents and qualifications. I'll give you a very simplistic example of the double life: say a South Asian person has to attend two events back-to-back. One is a gathering of South Asian people and the other being the Pride Parade. If they were wearing a kurta, sari or salwar kameez for the first event, they will very likely change into a 'more appropriate' set of clothes for the Pride Parade. No, there is no rule about it other than enormous societal pressure to assimilate, to seem more Canadian/Torontonian, to not seem like they are FOBs (fresh off the boat).
@Knabs - there may be a few rare instances where a true culture clash may actually bring rise to pressure to assimilate (e.g. carrying a Kirpan in school), but for the most part what Marlon says is absolutely true, the pressure you feel is in your own head.
Of any city in the world, Toronto is about as pressure-free as you can get. In this city more than anywhere, people are welcome to continue practicing their traditions or to pick up new ones as they choose. I assure you, if you were to go to the Pride Parade wearing a sari, dashiki, kimono, yamulke or a speedo, no one would give a shit, except maybe yourself.
On another note I know a lot of people that hate Toronto and want to get out of here. But the work is here and they have families to support. So it is not as black and white as BLOGTO posters seem to think it is. People go where the work is, if they like the city or not.
Me, i love the food and bars as well in the city.
The fact that we have the potential to have and one of 4 clowns as mayor of this city. No one else can lay to claim to that.
I know this is the wrong thread to say what I just said, but seriously, are you voting to elect someone, or are you voting to make sure someone doesn't get in.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
P.S. - I like the fact that we keep all the douchebags on one street - Ossington.
"The final financial statistics, in 1967 Canadian dollars, were: revenues of $221,239,872, costs of $431,904,683, and a deficit of $210,664,811"
In today's dollars that's like $15 gazillion Personally, I'd prefer the type of events that have a positive return. Would be friggin' awesome if we could host the World Cup one day!
For the record, I chose good ol' noncommittal "livability". I guess it was the closest option to "pretty much friggin' everything" the list had to offer.
Dear Toronto, I love you, lumps and all.
The low crime rate for a city our size!
The many activities and festivals in the summer!
Now all we need is a beautiful water/harbourfront and more lines added to TTC.
wow. maybe they smell like flowers in vancouver
And it should go without saying that racism and intolerance go in all directions, ESPECIALLY in a city as diverse as Toronto. I've personally seen hijab-clad girls making fun of an Asian girl on a bus.
Cheers.
Clearly, not only do you care what Toronto thinks of you, you think Toronto cares what you think of it.
don't forget to bring a copy of the Qur'an
for the Inaugural burning of the books.
Such a world class event could only originate from
the brains of world class citizens of world class cities
found in your great US of EH!!