Greg Burchell
News Reporter

David Miller urged students to actively participate in politics and social justice issues and make their voices heard, in what could be his last talk at Humber before his post as mayor of Toronto ends in December.
“I want to encourage you to use your energy to truly get involved because it makes a difference,” Miller said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t get involved, you don’t fight for what you believe in, it can disappear overnight.”
Miller was elected mayor in 2003, but his relationship with Humber and its students took off when Don Wanagas became director of communication for Miller and a journalism instructor at Humber in 2005.
Since 2006, Miller has visited the school every year to speak to students in the journalism program.
“He’s very serious about reaching out to young people – this gives him the opportunity to keep in touch,” Wanagas said.
“Every time Humber interviews me, they win an award,” said Miller. “I get interviewed all the time and nobody else wins awards,” referring to awards from a Columbia University competition won by broadcast journalism students in 2008 and 2009.
Miller has also worked with Humber on projects involving the area around the school’s North Campus, including the Finch light rail transit line that will bring rapid transit to the campus, job training initiatives like the ProTech community centre in Rexdale, which provides access to high-end media equipment and the planned Woodbine Live job training facility.
“We’ve got a whole process of engaging Woodbine in trying to train local people for good, decent jobs, and Humber’s right at the table trying to do that,” said Miller.
Humber President John Davies is a part of Miller’s community safety panel, which looks to help youth at risk of gang violence in Toronto’s 13 priority neighbourhoods, including North Etobicoke, the area surrounding North Campus.
“Part of Humber’s mission is outreach to the community,” said Davies, adding Miller’s plan has helped build new community centres and sports facilities.
Miller said he hopes to continue a close relationship with the school after his time as mayor is over.
“I respect Humber very much, I think it does a terrific job – the students are smart, full of energy, hard-working, and I don’t know exactly how I’ll stay involved, but I hope to.”

With files from Meg Banks