Toronto Mayor John Tory believes U.S. president-elect Donald Trump will moderate the controversial stands he took during the campaign once he is in office.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Mayor John Tory says he believes Donald Trump will moderate the controversial stands he took during the campaign after he is sworn in as president of the United States.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Mr. Tory said the United States was an "incredibly resilient" country.
"I would never bet against the United States. And I think they will adjust to this different kind of leadership," Mr. Tory said. "And so too, I think, will Mr. Trump adjust. I saw him this morning saying, I'm the president of all the people. And I think that's a welcome thing for him to say. And one trusts that he will act that way because that is what you discover in these jobs in public office, that you are there to represent all the people."
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But Mr. Tory made a point of saying he would remain focused on making sure his city is "one Toronto" that provides opportunity for the "marginalized" and welcomes people of "every description, every faith, every colour of skin."
He also said he would try to find "positive ways" to work with the United States and convince Mr. Trump to view Canada as a good partner and a good place to do business and invest.
"I think that most people, when they actually occupy a public office as opposed to seeking it during a campaign, find that their job is to bring people together. And you find they act differently in the office than they might have when they were seeking it," Mr. Tory said.
He went on to say that "the world rarely operates on the basis of what actually goes on during election campaigns. They are a very artificial kind of thing. … [Candidates] will change their song to suit the responsibilities they have if they win."
Earlier this year, on a mission to the U.S., Mr. Tory tried to use the divisive politics south of the border driven by Mr. Trump's candidacy as a pitch to lure tech workers and entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to come to Canada.
Asked if Canada should expect a wave of Americans now leaving the U.S., Mr. Tory said he would welcome anyone who wants to move to Toronto.
"We welcome people here from all over the world. I'd be delighted at any American before, during or after Mr. Trump's time who wanted to come and live in Toronto because they have been great citizens," Mr. Tory said. "They've made a great contribution to the growth of our business community."
Jeff Gray