Revisiting the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City of Toronto and the District of Jaffna - by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, seconded by Mayor John Tory

The implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 19, 2017 between the City of Toronto and the District of Jaffna was intended to facilitate new investments and business, educational, and cultural exchanges. The Memorandum of Understanding was meant to bolster activities under four distinct pillars: Good Governance, Education, Library Systems, and Economic Development. Following the return to Toronto, the Toronto-Jaffna Partnership Summit was held on September 30, 2017 in order to discuss an "Implementation Phase" for the Memorandum of Understanding. This Motion seeks to reengage the process and resume this project with clear deliverables. Furthermore, past discussion of an exchange of urban planners between Jaffna and Toronto should be finalized, planned, and eventually executed.

3. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to investigate the potential for an urban planner from the City of Toronto to participate in an exchange exercise with the District of Jaffna; this includes amending the original March 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, as necessary, to include the District of Jaffna as a signatory and reporting back on feasibility and next steps. 4. City Council direct the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to investigate the potential for a Tamil scholar from Sri Lanka to participate in an exchange exercise with Tamil Studies at the University of Toronto at Scarborough and report back on feasibility and next steps.