You probably just covered > 50% of the population of the earth there. If that isn’t “ordinary people” than what is? People aren’t all rural farmers anymore.
Brussels is the centre of power in the EU. I have nothing against Toronto, but just because its population is higher doesn't really award it the status of being more "major".
Being important or good at one thing doesn’t make you a major city. It’s that you’re not known for one thing that makes you important. NYC has software, banking, media, art, culture, dining, etc. DC or Brussels just has one thing: political power.