The following is a letter to Mitzie Hunter congratulating her on her recent appointment as the CEO of the Greater Toronto Area CivicAction Alliance, and stressing the importance to Local 79 of forging strong working alliances with other organizations and individuals who share common goals regarding our city.

January 10, 2012

Mitzie Hunter, CEO
Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance
110 Yonge Street, Suite 1900
Toronto, ON
M5C 1T6

Dear Ms. Hunter,

On behalf of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, I wish to congratulate you on your recent appointment as the CEO of the Greater Toronto Area CivicAction Alliance. Your considerable experience, both in the workplace and in the volunteer sector, will serve you well as you lead this innovative, dynamic city building organization.

As the largest municipal union local in Canada, representing more than 18,000 workers at the City of Toronto, TCHC and Bridgepoint Hospital, CUPE Local 79 has a strong commitment to Toronto’s many diverse communities, and to ensuring that Toronto remains a healthy and sustainable city.

CUPE Local 79 agrees wholeheartedly with you that well-paid jobs are important in sustaining the quality of life that we experience in our city. We had deep respect and admiration for your Founding Chair, David Pecault, and share his vision of a need for civic responsibility and engagement. By working together with community organizations and their leaders, we believe that the social, economic and environmental future of the Greater Toronto Area will be improved.

This year, as CUPE Local 79 celebrates our 70th anniversary of taking care of Torontonians, it is more important to our members than ever before that we forge strong working alliances with other organizations and individuals who share common goals regarding our city. The leadership of CUPE Local 79 would, therefore, welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest.

I look forward to meeting with you in the near future.

Yours truly,

Tim Maguire

President

c.c. John Tory, Chair, and Members of the Board of Directors, CivicAction