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Windsor's Symbol of Friendship Display honours & recognize Windsor's twin cities · Kvetch & Release

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Hey you're back, John McKee. Here am hundred c kl W.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: I hope you're all doing well. Okay. A couple of
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: days ago here there's a may cul buy I suppose
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: we were talking about there's a new poll. It's been
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: put up between four hundred City Hall Square and City Hall.
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  Speaker 1: It is a honor, a tribute to our sister cities,
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  Speaker 1: and I guess I came off a little bit harsh
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  Speaker 1: about it. I was not criticizing or intending to criticize
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: the Sister Cities program, but the conversation we were having
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: on the roundtable did veer into a little bit of
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  Speaker 1: an angle that I suppose could have been viewed as
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  Speaker 1: criticism of the program. I was mainly just upset that
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  Speaker 1: the polls twenty five feet tall, and if you're trying
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  Speaker 1: to get an Instagram photo, it's going to be tough
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  Speaker 1: to get it in focus and to read it. And
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  Speaker 1: even in some of the Mayor's photos that were put
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: up by the Comms Department, you could see those issues.
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  Speaker 2: It's tough to make out.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: It would be like standing in front of the c
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  Speaker 1: N Tower and trying to get a photo of it,
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  Speaker 1: and it's like you gotta get on the ground and
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: really point it straight up. But we talked about, you know,
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: the the International Relations Committee and how we have delegations
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  Speaker 1: that come to Windsor from our sister cities. So it's
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  Speaker 1: an important program and was founded like in the sixties,
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  Speaker 1: not too long after you know, World War two and recognition.
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  Speaker 1: Then hey, maybe if we become friends with some of
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  Speaker 1: our neighbors around the world, we can not war with
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  Speaker 1: each other and avoid some of those geopolitical conflicts that
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: were kind of a big deal, you know, First World War,
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Second World War.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: I like the program.
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: Joining me in studio right now is one counselor who
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: I'm not going to say tore a strip off me,
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: but definitely let me know that I had some issues
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: with how it was being portrayed War to nine counselor
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: Kieren mackenzie in studio. I wish it was just on
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: the phone Kieran, that you were here.
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  Speaker 2: But hey, it's great to see you. I just I
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  Speaker 2: don't like taking I don't want the FaceTime mono, we
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: mono and.
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: Let's just let's just untalk. Let's okay, let's get it
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  Speaker 1: out there. So what was the problem. What did I
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  Speaker 1: do that shouldn't have been done.
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  Speaker 2: Look, and and let me just start by saying, I
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  Speaker 2: really appreciate the chin to come and speak about this program,
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: and and and and respond to the segment and and
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: and and look, I I was maybe a little peeved,
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: uh in the way that I responded on Monday, And
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: I probably could have dialed back some of my own
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: language and the in our communications. Having said that, the reason,
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: the reason, and especially around the two things, the program itself,
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  Speaker 2: I think a wonderful reflection of the diversity that we
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  Speaker 2: are all so proud of in our community. And this,
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  Speaker 2: the Twin City program and the Sister City program is uh,
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  Speaker 2: at least in our context, I believe, a manifestation of
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  Speaker 2: that reality. And it's a great reality. The the artwork
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  Speaker 2: that we were talking about, and and it was fresh
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  Speaker 2: still for me because I and I was I was
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  Speaker 2: at the unveiling of the monument.
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  Speaker 1: It was like the day after the unveiling.
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  Speaker 2: It was it was so and for me, I got
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  Speaker 2: a little emotional even as we're tearing bringing down the
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  Speaker 2: tarp that was that was covering we did the whole
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: arimonnial thing. And the reason I had the feels for
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: this thing is because there was about two hundred or
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: so people that were gathered in the middle of the
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: afternoon on a Friday, hot day, really hot day. But
• 3:15
  Speaker 2: there were folks who were there because they had a
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  Speaker 2: direct connection to what was displayed on the pole. On
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: the pole and we can talk about there's you know,
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  Speaker 2: the concept behind it, and I take your point with
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  Speaker 2: respect to being able to to put that, to put
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  Speaker 2: images of it on socials and we want people to
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  Speaker 2: see it and to have all of the prominence that
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  Speaker 2: it could have. But my moment was seeing the pride
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  Speaker 2: in the eyes of the folks who played a role
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  Speaker 2: in having their home community or this community identified in
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  Speaker 2: our community as a place that's important to us. And
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  Speaker 2: why should it be important to us, Well, there's a
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  Speaker 2: lot of reasons. First of all, we are one of
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  Speaker 2: the most diverse communities in all of Canada. Number One,
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  Speaker 2: that this this poll, this sign post represents that the
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: folks that were in that audience. As I said, we're
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  Speaker 2: part of creating those sister city relationships. There's part of
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  Speaker 2: the policy around the cities that we enter into these
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  Speaker 2: relationships with is that it has to be driven initially
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  Speaker 2: by a group in the community. So it's it's it's
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  Speaker 2: so grassroots. It comes from exactly who we are and
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  Speaker 2: who we're evolving into. Each one of those sign posts,
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  Speaker 2: each one of those communities have folks in our community
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  Speaker 2: who care deeply about about them, and then the converse
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  Speaker 2: is true, those folks care about windsor now because they
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  Speaker 2: have their expats are there, you know, the people that
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  Speaker 2: used to live in and the families there, So those
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  Speaker 2: relationships exist. So now you get into Okay, so it's
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  Speaker 2: a nice cultural representation, but what are the other things?
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  Speaker 2: Why else would we do twin cities. Well, there's an
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  Speaker 2: economic component to this. There's also a humanitarian component to this.
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  Speaker 2: And one of the things that happened in your segment
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  Speaker 2: I think was really positive. Darcy Reno talked about the
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  Speaker 2: humanitarian aid that was provided to the Polish community to
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  Speaker 2: support Ukrainian refugees coming across the border recently. There was
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  Speaker 2: humanitarian effort provided to another community and our sister city
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  Speaker 2: relationships that had experienced a natural disaster, so and there
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  Speaker 2: was support provided those kinds. So there's the humanitarian efforts.
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  Speaker 2: Then there's a number of other things I could talk about,
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  Speaker 2: but I want to let you get a word is
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  Speaker 2: so so yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Well again like, in no way did I mean it
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  Speaker 1: all to disparage on the program, the sister cities, our
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  Speaker 1: community members who are from those communities. I think that
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  Speaker 1: all in all, it's great. I love the idea of
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  Speaker 1: fostering relationships, and as you said, like when it comes
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  Speaker 1: to economic development and trade, having those relations being able
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  Speaker 1: to send over delegations probably a really good thing. My
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  Speaker 1: criticism again is I just I look at the photograph
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  Speaker 1: that's been posted, and by far the tallest person is
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  Speaker 1: Mayor Dilkins standing right in.
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  Speaker 2: He is six ' four. So I.
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  Speaker 1: Was just laughing at just the portrayal of it. But
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  Speaker 1: look you had mentioned I believe off air, it might
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: have been on air. Sometimes it gets hard to tell
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  Speaker 1: when it happened. We're going to be adding new sister cities.
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  Speaker 1: It's not like this program is frozen in time. So
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  Speaker 1: my commentary and criticism might become less relevant as the
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  Speaker 1: signs get closer to the height of not only the
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  Speaker 1: mayor at six four, but also you know maybe someone
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  Speaker 1: like me at five to nine.
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  Speaker 2: Well they you know, those relationships and that's why we
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  Speaker 2: have the International Relations Committee, and it's comprised of folks
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  Speaker 2: who come from many of those different diverse communities that
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  Speaker 2: we have that are instrumental and helping to foster those relationships.
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  Speaker 2: And if they're important, and if we think they're important,
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  Speaker 2: then you need to have dedicated people and resources to
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  Speaker 2: be able to continue to nurture those relationships. And so
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  Speaker 2: here's another here's a good example of Okay, So if
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  Speaker 2: it's just about dollars and cents, we have a sister
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  Speaker 2: city relationship with Gunsan, South Korea, and as a part
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  Speaker 2: of the delegation there, we've seen some investment from South
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  Speaker 2: Korea in our community. The Dongshin plant that's being constructed
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  Speaker 2: and was just there was an expansion before they even
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  Speaker 2: got into production of that plant and the footprint of
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  Speaker 2: that plant, so even more jobs are going to be
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  Speaker 2: created that that investment, I'm not going to say is
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  Speaker 2: a direct result of the twin city relationship, but was
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  Speaker 2: certainly fostered by the existence of the twin city relationship
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  Speaker 2: that we have not only in South Korea, but also
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  Speaker 2: in Poland, because Dons is operating in Poland as well,
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  Speaker 2: and they became aware of the city of Windsor as
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  Speaker 2: a manufacturing hub for North America. Because we were on
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  Speaker 2: the radar in the sister city relationship with both of
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  Speaker 2: those different community.
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  Speaker 1: At lea, it's easy to pick up the phone and
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  Speaker 1: call up their ACDEV officer because you've already got the
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  Speaker 1: relationship and it's not just a cold call.
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  Speaker 2: And for folks who are in business, they know business
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  Speaker 2: is about relationship building, and this is what that is.
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  Speaker 2: And and and there's it's just.
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  Speaker 1: A networking event.
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  Speaker 3: Well not just, but you know, but in part it
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  Speaker 3: is and and and like I said, if you if
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  Speaker 3: the only reason to do something is is there a
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  Speaker 3: direct financial return on investment, then and I don't think
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  Speaker 3: that that's the only reason why you do any one thing,
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  Speaker 3: But if that's your vision of it, or anyone's vision,
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  Speaker 3: then you've got that box checked right on top of it,
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  Speaker 3: you have this again, the humanitarian plus the reflection of
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  Speaker 3: what's actually happening in our community.
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  Speaker 2: The last point that I want to make on this
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  Speaker 2: is there's the Udna Fountain. Okay. Now, this relationship with
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  Speaker 2: the city of Udina in Italy was fostered through the
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  Speaker 2: Fogolar furlon as a result of the different interactions over
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  Speaker 2: the years that have happened with that community. We have
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  Speaker 2: two beautiful fountains in our inn at the river front.
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  Speaker 2: There's the one and but there's yeah, and then there's
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  Speaker 2: also the there's one that's on site at Fogelar Furlon
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  Speaker 2: as well. That's the results of that relationships. So again
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  Speaker 2: you want, okay, so what does it mean for our community. Well,
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  Speaker 2: there's actual hard infrastructure there that that has also been
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  Speaker 2: a part of what the city has benefited from, uh
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  Speaker 2: from the existence of the i r C, the International
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  Speaker 2: Relations Community, and but also more broadly pursuing this idea
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  Speaker 2: of having relationships with other cities and communities across the globe.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's a wonderful program and I'm really really
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  Speaker 2: grateful John that you've given me the opportunity to come
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  Speaker 2: on the air and and talk about, you know, the
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  Speaker 2: the great things that that have happened and that continue
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  Speaker 2: to happen as a result of it existing.
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  Speaker 1: So how does a city become And I don't know,
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  Speaker 1: I don't know, is sister city like the most appropriate.
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  Speaker 1: It's almost a just be a sibling city or.
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  Speaker 2: A here's where I'm gonna I'm going to display certain
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: level of ignorance sister city in Twin City is sometimes
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  Speaker 2: used interchangeably, and I think to some extent, some of
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  Speaker 2: the relationships are are referred to as sister cities because
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  Speaker 2: that's what the that's what it was at the time
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  Speaker 2: when it was. But the program is the twin city program.
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  Speaker 2: That is what it's officially referred to now. So uh
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  Speaker 2: for thank you for pointing that out. And I should
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: probably correct my language moving forward, just to make sure
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  Speaker 2: I'm not uh, because if their sister cities, and perhaps
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: there should be brother cities, yeah, of course, and I'm
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: not sure that there are, but maybe they sorry if
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  Speaker 2: there are. But having said all of that, the pro
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  Speaker 2: so the nomenclature notwithstanding, Uh, it's uh. It's a program
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  Speaker 2: that how do you? How do you do it? It
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: has to start with a group. How to start with
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  Speaker 2: any is that the I r C.
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  Speaker 1: Or would it be like, let's say a community of
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: just in the people in the community that say, hey,
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  Speaker 1: you know what I think that we should choose.
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  Speaker 2: People in the community, would bring it through the I
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: r C, bring it forward, and then what then happens
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: is the r the I r C would start to
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: explore the appropriateness of that relationship. And there's a number
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: of things that they would look at if they if
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  Speaker 2: it's deemed as something that's that's worth pursuing, then there
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  Speaker 2: would be outreach to the to the proposed twin city
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  Speaker 2: and the conversations would start. And you know, clearly in
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: these types of relationships, you know relationship, there's there's two entities, right,
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  Speaker 2: so there's a gauging of the interest and then a
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: framework around what does it actually mean in our context, UH,
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: if we're gonna if we're gonna go forward and and
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: UH in the instances where it does make sense for
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: both communities, there's that there's this like really nice moment
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  Speaker 2: where there's a sort of a charter that's developed and
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: there's a signature of both from both from officials from
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  Speaker 2: both communities on a nice parchment document. And then there's
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: things that will end up happening. There might be a
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: delegation that comes to windsor just recently we hosted UH
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: a group of students from South Korea from Gunsan. Uh.
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  Speaker 2: It's a it's a UH. They were Grade ten students
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: who there's a good fifty of them that came. They
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: were they got to see the unveiling of the monument.
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: They were to be honest, they were enthralled by it.
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  Speaker 2: It was a really wonderful moment. We brought them into
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  Speaker 2: city Hall, they had a discussion and a Q and
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: a with the mayor and myself and a few other counselors.
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  Speaker 2: It was a really it was a really touching moment.
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  Speaker 2: And again, like if that physical manifestation of having friends
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: around the globe who want to come and understand your
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: culture and we're having a stronger understanding of their culture
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: through their presence, it's a it's just a great program.
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: It is it is a great program. And I hope
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: that none of the delegation was listening when I had
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: so rapidly put it down. I suppose are you able
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: to let us know, like if there are conversations about
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: news twin cities that could be out.
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: Of it those so you know, in terms of like how
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: do people find So it is the the the minutes
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: of the public really the i r C. The International
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Relations Committee are published in every Council agenda. So I'm
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: not sure the communities that may be on the agenda
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: or may or may not be on the agenda. That
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: would be uh, you know, good opportunity perhaps to bring
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: counsel Angel Marignani, who's doing a great job with that committee. Uh,
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: to come on the air there, okay, Yeah, and to
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: come on and talk about what they're up to on
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: a specific level. But you know, again from my perspective
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: and just you know, looking at this as one of
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: the things that the city does, I just think it's
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: in having witnessed in in real time all of that
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: coming together all in one moment, like decades of work
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: and advocacy and partnerships developed, uh, and it all symbolized
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: and and and brought together in that that monument. That's
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: that's what you know motivated me to engage you. And
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: so in the conversation that I did, and uh, like
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: I said, I'm really really happy that you invited me
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: on to talk about what what the I R C
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: is and and the uh, oh my god, I'm gonna
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: forget that there's a clunky name for the monument. That
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: is something I think we could put actually work on. Yeah,
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: the Twin Cities Friendship Monument display something like that. It's
• 14:07
  Speaker 2: you know, there's it sounds like there's some redundancy in there,
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: but call.
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: Up the marketing experts and then yeah, help you with that.
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: With that it's the name. Notwithstanding it is a it
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: really is a special piece in my opinion.
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: Well, hey, it's great to have it down there. And
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: again my comments aside, I think the whole program's great,
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: and I want to thank you for coming on and
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: give me the opportunity to clear it up between us
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: and listen. Being on radio, it's like these are my
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: therapy sessions and instead of having a private conversation with you,
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: why not air it to the entire region and our
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: art listening audience. Counselor McKenzie, thank you for your time.
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: Counselor Kuran mackenzie, Thank you appreciate.
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: Having the opportunity to on air hug it out with
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: you on this one. John.
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: Until next time, Lord knows it will happen. It's eleven
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: forty nine. Will be back right after the break.