Ottawa raised concerns over Israel's alleged misinformation campaign

Plus, Mississauga's mayor-elect and a trouble in the Don River Valley [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on an allegedly Israel-backed “Islamophobic” misinformation campaign, Mississauga’s new mayor-elect and trouble brewing in the new Don River Valley. DON’T MISS Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images federal politics [The Trudeau government raised concerns with Israel about its “Islamophobic” misinformation campaign]( Ottawa says it raised concerns directly with Israel regarding allegations of a “co-ordinated” and “Islamophobic” misinformation campaign that targeted Canadians online, Stephanie Levitz, Alex Ballingall and Mark Ramzy report. The federal government revealed this after Star inquired about a report in a prominent Israeli newspaper alleging Israel hired a private firm to sway public opinion in Canada and the U.S. regarding the ongoing war in Gaza. While a Global Affairs spokesperson said they were unable to “decisively attribute” the campaign to a state actor, the agency corroborated “elements” of the allegations. [Here’s what that means]( - ICYMI: Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel hired a private political campaign firm called STOIC to allegedly create fake news sites and “hundreds” of social media accounts. These spread pro-Israeli stories about sexual assaults committed by Hamas, alleged links between Hamas and UN groups in the Gaza strip and other “deeply Islamophobic and anti-immigrant” content targeting Canada. - Word from Israel: The Israeli embassy in Ottawa did not respond to the Star’s request for comment. The Israeli government has denied involvement in the alleged campaign. - Meanwhile: Hamas said one of its commanders was killed in a clash with Israeli forces, while Israel said four of its soldiers were killed in a Rafah explosion. [Here’s the latest on the war](. Richard Lautens/The Star municipal politics [Carolyn Parrish will be Mississauga’s next mayor]( Former MP and city councillor Carolyn Parrish is set to become Mississauga’s next mayor after winning a hard-fought and contentious mayoral byelection, Omar Mosleh reports. “Your voices have been heard and together we will build a brighter, more inclusive future,” Parrish said after her Monday night electoral win. She thanked voters for their trust, noting her top priorities as mayor included building more housing, increasing affordability and reducing crime — especially car thefts. [Meet Mississauga’s new mayor-to-be](. - By the numbers: Parrish won the race with 43,494 votes. Her nearest rival, Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo, garnered 35,005 votes, according to the city’s unofficial election results. - Context: The Mississauga election — the first in five decades without a clear frontrunner or incumbent — was triggered after [former mayor Bonnie Crombie stepped down in January to lead the Ontario Liberal party](. Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star toronto [Filling the new Don River valley was all going according to plan — then it sprang a leak]( The operation to fill the new Don River Valley was all going according to plan — until workers noticed a leak. A crack has formed in one of the three massive concrete walls separating the new river valley from surrounding bodies of water, and water was gushing through, threatening to jeopardize the $1.35-billion flood protection project in the Port Lands. While the walls will eventually come down, connecting the river valley with the lakes, its river bed must first be filled and stabilized at a carefully controlled rate, a spokesperson for Waterfront Toronto told the Star’s Mahdis Habibinia. [Here’s why — and what happens when things go awry](. - Background: The mammoth Port Lands reclamation project, including the naturalization of the mouth of the Don River, is among North America’s largest infrastructure projects and has been [nearly a decade in the making](. - Why it matters: Experts say the project is “one to celebrate” as it strives to return a derelict and polluted district to its green roots, including functional wetlands capable of absorbing carbon emissions and excess floodwater. WHAT ELSE The capital gains tax is controversial for the Liberals — [and it’s about to become a big test for Pierre Poilievre](. Doug Ford has quietly disbanded the [ministry overseeing a $1 billion Queen’s Park renovation](. “I see a lot of ghosts.” Community members share memories as they [mourn the loss of the historic St. Anne’s church](. A man has admitted to killing a nursing student on a TTC bus — [but says he wasn’t criminally responsible at the time](. TDSB employees’ use of sick days is well above average. [Now the board is taking aim at its “pervasive absenteeism.”]( Olivia Chow is meeting with downtown CEOs about [increasing office days to help revitalize the financial district](. Why almost everyone should have a will — [plus the one case where you may not need one](. Your next job interview might be with [this AI cartoon doing the hiring](. Before today is over, [17 cars will likely be stolen in Peel](. A family donated [$25 million for cancer research and care](. Is Kate Middleton planning to retire from public life? [Take a closer look at the “stay-at-home princess” rumours](. The end of a Blue Jays era: [Why moving on from Cavan Biggio is a “what could have been” moment](. POV Steve Russell/The Star [Olivia Chow is about to face the biggest threat to her mayoralty. Overcoming it won’t be easy.]( CLOSE-UP Todd Korol/The Star ST ANNE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: The interior of Toronto’s historic St. Anne’s church featured early murals by three members of the Group of Seven — “priceless” artworks reduced to rubble in a horrific blaze that consumed the church on Sunday. [Take a look at what we lost in the fire](. 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_214947). 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. 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