Ceremony Confers Consul-General’s Commendation to Mr. Steven “Sakura Steve” Joniak

On April 29, a ceremony to confer the Consul-General’s Commendation to Mr. Steven Joniak was held at the official residence of the Consul-General of Japan in Toronto. Mr. Joniak, also known as "Sakura Steve”, provides updates every year through his popular website SakurainHighPark.com on how close the Sakura cherry blossoms are to blooming in High Park. His predictions help the people of Toronto plan their springtime outings and are often cited by such media as BlogTO, CityTV and the CBC. At the ceremony, Consul-General Matsunaga Takeshi commended Mr. Joniak for his remarkable contributions toward mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the Province of Ontario, Canada. In attendance were: Member of Provincial Parliament Alexa Gilmour, (Parkdale-High Park); His Worship Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham; Deputy Mayor Godwin Chan of Richmond Hill, representatives of the City of Toronto, and other leading figures related to Sakura. Consul-General's congratulatory speech is here.