Nenshi promotes city on 4-day Toronto trip

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi was to fly to Toronto on Tuesday for a busy four-day speaking tour, during which time he will meet withthe city's Mayor Rob Ford.

Nenshiwill also get togetherwith other area mayors, andspeak at five public appearances over the next four days.

Nenshi said he plans to promote Calgary, selling it as a growing city with big economic potential.

"And also to continue to make the case, as I've been making at the federal level, about the need for us to think about cities as true partners in the future of Canada," Nenshi said.

"In very, very short, my argument will be the future of Calgary and the success of Calgary and of other cities, is the success of Canada."

Much discussion was madeabout the fact that Calgary elected Nenshi a Harvard-educated professor, as well as a Muslim and a visible minority as mayor on Oct. 18, 2010, while one week later Toronto elected Ford a populist conservative who campaigned on cutting wasteful city spending.

Nenshi's first appearance in Toronto is Tuesday at a conferencewhere he's expected to speak in front of a crowd of nearly 700 people.

He will also address the Canadian Club of Toronto on Wednesday.