This speech was given at a farewell reception to the outgoing City Council on Tuesday November 28, 2000. It praises the work of a Council that oversaw the greatest urban restructuring in Canada. First, I'd like to say that it is a real pleasure to see you all together again. The pleasure is mixed.
Tonight is both a farewell and a celebration.
We have much to celebrate. Amalgamation is a success. It's not over, of course, but the lion's share is done. I like to think of it as a NASA launch. We've broken through the pressures of gravity, through the major barriers of that transition to one city.