TORONTO, Canada – Despite being a Jamaican by birth, deputy mayor of Toronto East, Michael Thompson, admitted that he didn’t know much about cricket having left his homeland as a kid.

Councillor Thompson, who is also Chair of Toronto’s Economic and Community Development Committee and a member of the Executive Committee, was a special invitee at last Sunday’s final of the Ontario Masters Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) third edition of the Toronto Cup staged at the University of Toronto ground here.

Under the banner of “Getting Things Done” extracted from his city council biography, Thompson is known to his constituents as a community builder committed to bring people together in a spirit of collaboration. He has led and assisted in the formation of local community associations, youth leadership initiatives and business improvement areas, and holds regular public meetings to engage residents throughout his ward.

At the end of a fun-filled day, the deputy mayor, who was seen mingling with both officials and spectators, was quite impressed with the proceedings, praising OMSCC president Azeem Khan and his executives for their great initiative in hosting the tournament.

Now in his fifth term as councillor, Thompson, who has earned a reputation as one of Toronto’s hardest working and most effective political leaders, thanked those present at the impressive presentation ceremony for making the city a better place.

While pointing to the rich history that immigrants have brought to the city of Toronto, Thompson quipped that “we live in the best city in the entire world.” He said the softball tournament was a demonstration of the skills of the players.
The deputy mayor, who was presented with a plaque for his unstinted support and

contribution to the OMSCC, assured that the city is working assiduously to ensure more cricket fields are made accessible to the community.
Councillor Jennifer McKelvie of Ward 25, Scarborough Rouge who also witnessed part of the day’s activities, congratulated Khan and his board for making the tournament a reality and also gave the undertaking that an indoor facility is in the works and should be completed in a year and a half.

OMSCC president Azeem Khan, while recognising the efforts of his board, thanked the participating teams including those from the host city, Guyana, New York and Orlando. Some 18 teams – eight in the Over-50, six in the Over-40 and four in the Open – took part in the three-day tournament. (Frederick Halley)