What's happening with the "Indigo 11"?

Plus, the archaic migrant worker program and Donald Trump rests his case [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on the “Indigo 11,” a push to revamp the temporary foreign worker program and Donald Trump’s hush-money trial. DON’T MISS Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star star exclusive [Charges have been quietly dropped for four of the “Indigo 11” protesters]( Night-time raids, kicking down doors and arresting people in bed are just some of the tactics Toronto police are accused of employing in the arrests of 11 pro-Palestinian protesters accused of plastering an Indigo bookstore with posters and washable red paint last year, Shree Paradkar reports. On Friday, the crown quietly dropped all charges against four of the 11 protestors as there was no reasonable prospect of conviction, according to lawyer Michael Leitold, who represents one of the four. The Star has learned Leitold and Karl Gardner, one of the four people freed, will call for police to drop all charges against the rest of the “Indigo 11” later today. [Here’s what you need to know]( - Background: The downtown location of Indigo was splashed with red paint and plastered with posters featuring the company’s CEO and founder Heather Reisman. [The protest aimed to tie the company, which has long supported Israel, to the killings of thousands of civilians in Gaza](. - More: All the protesters were initially charged with mischief, while 10 of the 11 were charged with conspiracy. [A week later, each protester was also charged with criminal harassment, which could lead to up to 10 years in prison](. Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot immigration [Canada’s temporary foreign worker program is archaic — here’s how the Senate wants to change it]( Ottawa must modernize the temporary foreign worker program by allowing workers to change employers within their industry and overhauling its enforcement system, a new Senate report suggests. It also recommends the establishment of a Migrant Work Commission that would oversee the program, advocate for migrant workers in Canada and serve as a single point of contact for reports of abuse and mistreatment. Despite its name, the foreign worker program is far from temporary, as Canadian employers have become addicted to hiring migrant workers to fill permanent jobs, Nicholas Keung reports. [Take a look at what’s happening and what needs to change]( - Word from advocates: “The fundamental power imbalance is the temporary migration system itself,” one advocate said. “So long [as] we have a system of temporariness, there’s going to be inequality, injustice, abuse and exploitation.” - Context: The Senate study comes as Ottawa prepares to roll out a new temporary foreign worker framework that would [add protections for workers and simplify the current program](. - Meanwhile: International students are losing confidence in Canada’s image as a safe, stable and welcoming place, according to a new survey. [Can the nation rebuild its brand?]( Mark Peterson/AP Photo united states [At his hush-money trial, Donald Trump finally answered the question on everybody’s mind]( In the end, after everything, he kept his mouth closed. Donald Trump, the former and possibly future president of the United States, will not testify in his own criminal trial, Richard Warnica reports. “The defence rests,” his lawyer, Emile Bove, said Tuesday morning, bringing a subdued end to a proceeding that has featured betrayal, reluctant sex, secret payoffs and a turncoat tabloid king with a Canadian connection. Bove’s three words also set the stage for a verdict, possibly as soon as next week, that could upend the presidential campaign and send Trump to prison — or it could all just disappear like so many other Trump scandals. [Dive into all that’s happened](. - More: Even late Tuesday morning, it appeared Trump, who spent weeks railing against a gag order that barred him from speaking publicly about individuals involved in the trial, would testify. But when finally given the opportunity, he balked. - What we know: The strange and explosive trial centred on whether Trump falsified business records to [hide a hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election]( WHAT ELSE [The UN has stopped all food distribution in Rafah]( after running out of supplies in the southern Gaza city. [Norway, Ireland and Spain say they are recognizing a Palestinian state]( deepening Israel’s isolation. [The Trudeau government is not planning to legislate further protection for abortion rights]( the health minister said. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois are [demanding the House Speaker resign over “partisan behaviour.”]( Inflation fell to 2.7 per cent in April. [Here’s what might happen next](. Big bank earnings are expected to [take a hit as “mortgage renewal shock” continues](. [Emergency broadcasts detail a horrific, fatal boat collision near Kingston](. [Here’s the latest on wildfire evacuations and firefighting efforts across Canada](. Role model? Insider who led Black cops to “career suicide”? [The many narratives of the Toronto police Supt. Stacy Clarke cheating scandal](. A longtime Toronto bureaucrat has been [accused of being part of an organized crime gambling ring](. “Ignore all the naysayers.” [Soccer icon Christine Sinclair is being honoured as a trailblazer in a new Barbie campaign](. What Robert Pickton’s assault at a maximum-security prison says about [how Canada’s inmates are housed](. POV Jefferson Bernardes/Getty Images [Floods in Brazil have devastated my hometown, making me confront climate change in a new way.]( CLOSE-UP Indonesian Geological Agency/AFP via Getty Images INDONESIA: Mount Ibu, a volcano in the Indonesian province of North Maluku, is seen from a monitoring post on Tuesday as it spews volcanic ash. [Hundreds have been evacuated after authorities raised the alert status to its highest level last week](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and 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_214021). I’ll 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](