Today, Olivia Chow officially assumed her role as the 66th Mayor of Toronto and fifth Mayor since amalgamation.
“Today we commit ourselves to the hard work ahead,” Chow said in a statement. “Our city can find its feet again. Let’s give ourselves permission to believe that, together, we can move the needle of progress for the people of Toronto. Let’s build a Toronto that is more affordable, safe, and caring, where everyone belongs.”
Mayor Chow took office after making the Declaration of Office administered by John D. Elvidge, Toronto City Clerk, at a special ceremony held this morning in the Council Chamber in Toronto City Hall. The ceremony was attended by City Councillors, Indigenous leaders, City of Toronto staff and agency representatives, former mayors and guests of the Mayor.
Following the Declaration of Office for the Mayor, the Chain of Office was presented to Mayor Chow and worn for the duration of the ceremony.
The Declaration of Office featured several ceremonial elements including an Indigenous Welcoming Ceremony held on the podium roof of City Hall prior to the main event. Led by Elder Garry Sault and Grandmother Tina Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the ceremony welcomed the Mayor-elect as a partner in peace, friendship and respect and included a smudging, the lighting of the fire, pipe ceremony and water teachings.
The inner circle of the ceremony included the Mayor-elect, Members of Council and senior City staff. It was also attended by Chief R. Stacey Laforme, Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Chief Carlo Gros-Louis, Gros-Louis/Rock/Duchesne Family Chief, part of the Huron-Wendat Nation, and Shirley Debassige, President of the Toronto and York Region Métis Council, Metis Nations of Ontario.
The Declaration of Office ceremony opened with a smudging of the Council Chamber. The Mayor-elect was welcomed to the Chamber to the sound of ceremonial drumming and singing by the Young Creek Big Drum, Anishinaabe from the Wikwemikong First Nation.
Master of ceremonies and renowned actor Jean Yoon read the land acknowledgement and Elder Dr. Duke Redbird from the Saugeen Ojibway Nation provided welcoming remarks for the Mayor-elect. The African Ancestral Acknowledgement was presented by Sandra Whiting, storyteller, community programmer and a prominent member of Toronto’s Black community. Elder Garry Sault and Grandmother Tina Sault recounted the significance of water from the morning’s Indigenous Welcoming Ceremony that was contained in the silver teapot displayed in the Council Chamber. This teapot is a symbolic representation of the City’s commitment to its Reconciliation Action Plan.
The ceremony also featured a poetry reading by Lillian Allen, Toronto Poet Laureate, JUNO Award winner and professor of creative writing at OCAD University, and a musical performance by JUNO Award-winning singer and songwriter Lorraine Segato with Retrocity. The program concluded with the singing of the Canadian national anthem by the classically trained, multi-award-winning singer Jennifer Uy.
