The Leader - March/April 2009 - (Page 48) EXECUTIVE P RO F I L E Harmonic Diversity Creates a True Mosaic: Toronto’s Ron Wandel BY MEGAN MCCANN L ike more than 1.3 million other residents of the City of Toronto, Ron Wandel wasn’t born in Canada. A full 50 percent of the city’s population, including the U.S.-born Wandel, Manager of Investment Attraction for the City of Toronto, and its U.S.-born mayor immigrated to the city from all over the globe. After spending most of his life in Los Angeles and getting his early university education through to his Master’s Degree at UCLA, Wandel decided to pursue a Doctorate at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. There he met his wife in 1988 and has resided in Canada – except for a two-year stint in Las Vegas — ever since. In 1995, he settled in Toronto. There are a number of differences between Toronto and Los Angeles. “It’s certainly colder here,” Wandel says. “But, what led me to want to stay here and get back here, is that Toronto is a very familyoriented, safe city to live in, with a very safe downtown.” The outstanding educational system and universal health care also played big roles in his decision to settle north. But, its status as a true international city was the main draw. “Toronto has all the attributes that L.A. has: the professional sports teams, the theatres – it is the third largest theatre center in the English speaking world after London and New York,” he enthuses. “It’s all here, so I don’t really miss L.A.” But for Wandel, the real difference is the diverse population. “A lot of cities claim to be diverse and a lot of cities are – but it’s the amount of diversity from a global perspective here,” he explains. “There are over 100 different languages spoken here in Toronto on a daily basis.” It’s true: The city boasts huge Chinese and Indian populations, and there are nearly a million Americans living in Canada. “And they get along, there is harmony in this diversity,” Wandel says. “You don’t see the segregated pockets of people. People are literally living together. 2 0 0 9 THE LE ADE R 48 MARCH / APRIL
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