All 29 some odd were invited but only nine showed up. The main contenders (except Mayor Rob Ford who is in rehab) Olivia Chow, John Tory were there and Karen Stintz and David Soknaki in the single digit plus Sarah Thomson who just got started and those who don't have a chance.
Then there is Erwin Sniedzins, a Latvian who after a career sales supervisor at Xerox went to climb a mountain. After that he was involved in designing educational software “Complete Real Time Self Learning Intelligent Educational Software System” which enables people to turn “information into Knowledge” (iiK) up to three times faster than traditional learning methods. The generator is sold to the Toronto District School Board for their literacy,English As A Second Language (ESL), Special Needs, Students At Risk, Professional Accreditation(LINC) programs and globally in the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, East Timor, Cambodia and China.
In 2005, Sniedzins returned to China with the Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada and the Honourable Jim Peterson, Minister for International Trade to meet with the Chinese Premier Wen Jia Boa in the Great Hall of the Peoples Republic of China. During his trip, he continued to review English language barriers and began to build relationships with Chinese government officials, schools etc. As a result, he established the framework for a footprint in China to capitalize on the fastest growing ESL market segment in the world.
Sniedzins is a tall dignified well spoken gentleman who will put Toronto on the map properly. Look forward to hearing more about him.
Adu Raudkivi
