The Toronto gathering of mayors of big cities from across Canada started on a light note as Calgary’s Naheed Nenshi was given — and wore — a tiara worthy of the world’s top mayor.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson crowned Nenshi, to the laughter of other mayors gathered in a private meeting room in a King St. W. tower, with what looked more like a sparkly tiara than a crown.

Nenshi, known for his fierce promotion of Calgary and social media savvy, gamely modelled the tiara for a photo tweeted by Gregor’s spokesman.

Gregor chairs the big city mayors’ caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities summit that includes Toronto Mayor John Tory.

Nenshi was given the 2014 World Mayor Prize by an urban research group after being nominated by Calgarians and other Canadians.

The group described him as an urban visionary and role model to counterparts in North America and Europe for his decisive management, progressiveness and inclusivity.

The mayors then settled down to the serious business of coming up with common goals on transit, infrastructure, housing and more ahead of the federal election to be called for later this year.

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