Toronto, I Love You

Translated from French by Elaine Kennedy.

Raymond Dossougbé flees the misery of his hometown in Benin and arrives in Toronto, which as soon as he arrives charms him. He sees the city as a place of freedom and light, a sanctuary where he, like so many others, can begin anew. He is thrilled by its fast, organized pace, and by its vastness and diversity of peoples. Without prejudices or preconceptions, he allows himself to be fraternized by both the white and the black segments of society. He sees deep poverty, extreme wealth, and racism, and also the different aspects of the global black experience. Eventually he finds his bearings in this new world and comes to a better understanding of himself and the colourful characters around him.

Toronto, je t'aime won the Prix Trillium when it first came out in 2000.