Mitsubishi Corporation has developed a global network to drive its next phase of growth by continuously improving its responsiveness to change and promoting collaboration across the organization, supported by the efficient and effective allocation of roles among the Head Office, MC offices, subsidiaries, and group companies. “A Local Lens on Our Wide World” taps into this far-reaching network, with employees at offices worldwide sharing insights into various aspects of local life.
When I think of Canada’s great outdoors, Niagara Falls is the first thing I think of. You might think, “Isn’t that a bit of a cliché?” But when you actually stand before the falls, it’s easy to understand why people have been drawn to them for so long.
About an hour and a half from Toronto by car, Niagara Falls is close enough for a weekend day trip. I visited with my family shortly after taking up my post in Canada. Once you board a sightseeing boat and approach the base of the falls, the world around you changes completely. The roar of the falls grows steadily louder as the sight of thousands of tons of water per second plunging more than 50 meters draws ever closer. The water below churns white, while mist-like spray blasts you from every direction. Above and below, in front and behind – there is water everywhere. You feel as though you are underwater.
The rain gear we wore did little to help, and we ended up soaked from head to toe. By the end, all we could do was laugh. It is an experience that lets you feel the overwhelming power of nature in a way that no photograph or video can fully convey.
Niagara has another side to it. In the late 19th century, inventor Nikola Tesla’s polyphase alternating-current technology, together with the efforts of Westinghouse Electric Corporation, made large-scale hydroelectric power generation and long-distance transmission a practical reality here. Electricity generated at Niagara powered lights and streetcars in distant cities. This not only helped drive industrialization around the Great Lakes in the early 20th century, but also demonstrated the viability of alternating current, marking a major turning point on the path toward today’s power grids.
Today, a statue honoring Tesla, who helped usher in the electrical age, stands gazing out over the water from Queen Victoria Park.
Having worked in infrastructure and energy, I see Niagara Falls as a place where we can appreciate just how small we are in the face of nature as well as the ingenuity people have shown in harnessing its power to enhance their lives. Above all, it is an unforgettable place where I first truly felt, “I really am in Canada.” With the added bonus of getting completely soaked from head to toe!
