Richard, Roger - Where are you?

 I opened up the Globe & Mail this morning to see an article entitled "Economic vision for Ontario: foster ideas over industry". Right on! The article indicates that "Ontario's future depends on nurturing creativity and intelligence rather than protecting the past by bailing out struggling manufacturers." This finding is based on a report by Richard Florida and Rotman dean Roger Martin.

We couldn't agree more!

But I will tell you that I have tried several times to get Richard Florida and Roger Martin to visit the Centre for Social Innovation. Mr. Florida writes passionately of creative clusters. And Mr. Martin is deeply engaged in social entrepreneurship. And they are both working in Toronto and committed to our future. How on earth can they not have been down to CSI?

I know they are aware of the Wychwood Barns, Brickworks and MaRS. Those projects are incredibly important. But, c'mon. The Centre for Social Innovation has been at it for five years. We are the home to over 130 agents of social change. We are internationally recognized for our model and our achievements. We are truly the epicenter of social innovation in our city - and we have done it all on a self-sustaining business model without government largesse (or smallesse for that matter!).

So here's an open invitation to Roger Martin and Richard Florida to visit CSI, see what were up to, and see just how perfectly our work aligns with your interests and the vision you have identified for our province. The fair-trade organic coffee is on us!

And you know, if we are all lucky, we may be able to convince the Martin Prosperity Institute to use the reams of data and case studies we are sitting on to advance thinking about innovation so we can support social change in our city, province, country - and around the world.