Dear friend,

While sitting at Brockton Village Bakery this morning, sipping on a coffee, reflecting on the past week, and reading Victor L. Russell's Mayors of Toronto (Volume 1: 1834–1899), I began thinking about the story of Thomas David Morrison.

Can his life story teach us anything applicable to our daily lives, including how we approach the municipal elections taking place across Ontario on October 26, 2026?

Toronto's third mayor, Dr. Thomas David Morrison, was a well-known physician and long-time resident of the city.
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Born around 1796 in Quebec City, he moved to the town of York (which was later incorporated as the City of Toronto in 1834) sometime before 1816 and was employed as a clerk in the Surveyor General's office.

1. Turn Persecution into Good

Morrison was dismissed from his position as a clerk in the Surveyor General's office for his faith, after being involved in establishing a church in 1818.
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Following his dismissal, he travelled to the United States to study medicine.
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He returned to York a few years later and was licensed as a physician by the Upper Canada Medical Board in 1824.
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He soon established a large practice in York as well as "in the country up Yonge Street" (communities such as Yorkville were located north of York).

2. When You Don't Win at First, Try Again

Morrison entered the 1828 provincial election against John Beverley Robinson, a contest he lost by just 17 votes.
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The result was disputed, and the hearings became a highly publicized case that divided public opinion; ultimately, Robinson's election was upheld.
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However, Morrison did end up winning a seat in the provincial assembly in 1834, serving as a member for Toronto until 1837.
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He was also elected mayor of Toronto in 1836.

3. Serving the Community Is a Worthwhile Endeavour

Morrison was involved in numerous community activities leading up to his term as mayor.
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In 1831, he served as vice-president of the Bible Society of York.
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He also served for many years as a trustee of the Toronto General Burying Grounds, which is the historic origin of the modern Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries that operates several major historical cemeteries in Toronto.
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In 1832, together with two other doctors, he established the York Dispensary, which - over a period of one year - prescribed and distributed free medicine to 746 patients.

Morrison, like most doctors of his era, spent much of his time courageously fighting the cholera epidemics that ravaged urban centres.

He served on various local boards of health and, in 1836, served as president of the Toronto Board of Health.

During his mayoralty in 1836, Morrison's time was focused on municipal improvements, such as the problems inherent in developing a waterworks system and "lighting the streets with gas."

Dr. Thomas David Morrison's life's work of improving the lives of others through his medical and political endeavours is worth reflecting on and emulating.

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.

Until next time,
​Alex Rășcanu​
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P.S. If you'd like to read the past life lessons-focused e-newsletters, you can find them here.

P.P.S. See you at one of the upcoming monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours, such as the Liberty Village one on June 13th.