Mayor John Tory said Britain’s new “interesting and colourful” prime minister has responsibilities that are crucial to the city of Toronto, the rest of Canada and the whole world.

“He is very engaging and highly intelligent and I wish him well,” Tory said. “These responsibilities are important to the world and to Canada because of the nature of our relationship with the United Kingdom.”

“Of course the relationship between the United Kingdom and Toronto and Canada is one that is historic and very important economically.”

Boris Johnson won the contest to lead Britain’s governing Conservative Party on Tuesday, becoming the country’s next prime minister.



Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks after being announced as the new leader of the Conservative Party in London, Tuesday, July 23, 2019. (The Associated Press / Frank Augstein)

Johnson has been tasked with fulfilling his promise to lead the United Kingdom out of the European Union.

Tory congratulated Johnson on Twitter following his win and shared a photo of the two meeting back in 2015.

“He was mayor of London when I met him in 2015 when I led a group of Toronto businesses trying to build on our important economic relationships,” Tory wrote.

Congratulations to Boris Johnson, the soon to become British Prime Minister. He was Mayor of London when I met him in 2015 when I led a group of Toronto businesses trying to build on our important economic relationships. pic.twitter.com/t9morIglQr — John Tory (@JohnTory) July 23, 2019

At the time, Tory was in London promoting investment in Toronto and met with Johnson to discuss transit, Uber and affordable housing.

Tory reflected on their 2015 meeting while speaking at news conference on Tuesday.

“It was a most interesting and colourful meeting – he’s a very interesting and colourful person,” he said. “I’ll just tell you that the conclusion of the meeting was I took him a rugby ball because he is a real rugby enthusiast.”

“I took him a Canada rugby ball and we ended up throwing the rugby ball around and his office had a chandelier hanging in the middle of it and I was deathly afraid that the rugby ball would hit the chandelier and the chandelier would come down on the table.”

Ford and Trudeau congratulate Johnson

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he believes Johnson will do a “great job” in his new role.

Ford spoke highly of Britain’s next prime minister at a news conference held in Lucan, Ont. on Tuesday morning.

The premier called Johnson “a no-nonsense type of person,” who will “get the job done.”

As well, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his congratulations to Johnson on Tuesday morning.

Congratulations, @BorisJohnson - I look forward to working with you to keep the close friendship between Canada & the UK strong and to increase trade and create more jobs for people in both our countries. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 23, 2019

Thanks for your partnership & friendship, @theresa_may. We’ve accomplished a lot working together over the past few years and I wish you all the best in your next chapter. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 23, 2019

Johnson will be installed as prime minister in a formal handover from Theresa May on Wednesday.