How the kaffiyeh divided Doug Ford’s ranks

Plus, Ontario’s impending crackdown on phones in classrooms, which meat claims are mostly baloney and a winter tire reminder [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. After Shohei Ohtani’s first-inning homer sparked [the Dodgers’ 12-2 drubbing of the Blue Jays last night]( fans didn’t need an interpreter to know he felt vindicated in his big offseason bet. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press Queen's park [How the kaffiyeh ban exposed deep divides within Doug Ford’s Tory caucus]( Worried that public stances could hurt the Tories’ standing with Muslim voters ahead of a tough May 2 byelection in Milton, Premier Doug Ford asked his MPPs to refrain from discussing the Hamas-Israel conflict, insiders told Robert Benzie. And if not for the recent ban on kaffiyeh scarves in the legislature, the contentious debate that ensued might have stayed under wraps. [There’s a deep rift within the Progressive Conservative caucus on this front](. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star COURTS [With each tossed case, the spotlight grows on the Trudeau government’s failure to solve Toronto's judicial crisis]( Earlier this month, a Toronto judge threw out a case because court delays violated the accused party’s constitutional right to a trial within a reasonable time. The feds’ chronic failure to appoint enough judges to cover the city’s vacancies has resulted in seven such instances since December alone, Jacques Gallant reports. Observers are baffled by the holdup, [leaving some to question whether it’s simply not a priority for the current Liberal regime]( Chris Young/The Canadian Press EDUCATION [Ontario will reportedly unveil strict limits on tech in schools — and this time, they won’t be phoning it in]( Education Minister Stephen Lecce is set to introduce North America's strictest limits on cellphone use in schools on Sunday, Kristin Rushowy reports. With addictive social media apps providing no shortage of in-class distractions, the Tories’ polling shows Ontarians overwhelmingly support stricter limits. [Even proponents of phones say schools desperately need to find a happy medium](. Nick Iwanyshyn/for the Toronto Star Food [Why many meat-aisle claims like “free-run” chicken and “natural” beef are often pure baloney]( Most marketing terms like “pasture-raised,” “cage-free” and “traditional” for meat and poultry items aren’t actually backed by specific standards, regulation or inspection, Jake Edmiston reports. Shoppers often end up paying significantly more for products that exaggerate their ethical advantages. This is why some meat producers and animal rights advocates say [phrases like “humanely raised” are essentially meaningless](. Charlie Riedel/AP Sports [The world’s elite swimmers are outraged over the latest doping scandal. Can WADA regain their trust?]( As the 2024 Olympics nears, the World Anti-Doping Agency is in crisis mode. WADA’s decision to allow China’s national anti-doping program to excuse 23 positive tests among its elite swimmers in 2021 is under a microscope, writes Bruce Arthur. [Here’s how the Americans are attempting to keep WADA accountable](. CHANGE THIS Brian Early/For the Toronto Star The occasional outburst of hail aside, it’s time to swap out your vehicle’s winter tires for summer-friendly models. In theory, the average car owner could likely make the change themselves, advises auto technician Brian Early — [but here’s why you probably shouldn’t](. Thanks for reading. You probably could’ve written this newsletter yourself but I appreciate you leaving it to the pros. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_212919), and I will see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](