John Tory Leading by Example

But what would be a fine thing, if those two boys and their mother are not to have died in vain, is to try to rise above ourselves for once, as Canadians, and try to agree to do something decent, something maybe even slightly grand. We should fold our arms around the Kurdi family here in Canada. We should fold our arms around Canada’s broken-hearted Syrian-Canadian community. We should try to sort out a more generous, sensible and effective refugee resettlement policy, and  leave the politics out of it altogether.

I don't think it's realistic to think that the politics will ever be completely left out - we are human, after all, and some people depend on politics for their livelihood.

Yet even for politicians, politics can sometimes be put on the backburner:

John Tory ‏@JohnTory  5h

5 hours agoToronto, Ontario

It is how we react to situations like this that makes us Canadian - a welcoming and compassionate city and country. #topoli

John Tory stepped up to the plate; he led by example.  He set a model for others to follow.  He even encouraged fellow mayors to do as he as done.

I'm sometimes ridiculed for my optimism.  On days like today, I know my belief in humanity is not misplaced.

Of course all this is just a step, but it's one that's being taken.  That's where it must begin.