Joe Biden, a president worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy

Plus, how some mayors are misusing strong mayor powers and Toronto’s “most flood vulnerable” neighbourhood continues to wait for change after another deluge [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on the tumultuous end of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, the potential misuse of “strong mayor” powers and life inside Toronto’s “most flood vulnerable” neighbourhood. DON’T MISS Yuri Gripas/TNS Analysis [In his demise, spare a thought for Joe Biden — a president worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy]( President Joe Biden announced he will no longer seek re-election yesterday — an unprecedented move that leaves his party scrambling for a candidate less than four months away from an election. It is an undignified political ending for a man who has committed his entire adult life to public service, Allan Woods writes. Had he lusted after a crown, Biden might have easily figured in one of Shakespeare’s tragedies. [With the 81-year-old out of the way, there’s at least a chance to avert a looming electoral defeat](. - What now? Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as Democratic nominee. [Here’s how Harris is moving to unite a fractured party before what could be the most consequential U.S. election in generations](. - Go deeper: At 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Biden’s senior staff were notified of his dropping out of the 2024 race. At 1:46 p.m., that message was made public. [Take a look inside the final days and minutes of his doomed campaign](. - Susan Delacourt’s take: Justin Trudeau called Biden a “true friend,” thanking him for the many years they worked together after learning of his decision yesterday. The two had much in common over the past month, both fielding mounting cries to step down — [but, at least for now, the Canadian prime minister sees Biden as a friend, not an example](. Steve Cornwell/Metroland PROVINCIAL POLITICS [Doug Ford gave mayors more power to build homes. Instead, some are using it to tighten their grip on staff]( Years after Premier Doug Ford gave mayors new powers intended to help build homes faster, critics are raising alarms over some municipalities using the tool to hire and fire senior staff without consultation or rationale, Noor Javed reports. “This law has nothing to do with housing, but has everything to do with concentrating power in one person,” said Caledon councillor David Sheen, who has been monitoring the use of the so-called “strong mayor” powers in his town. [Take a look at how Ontario’s mayors are using — or abusing — their new tools](. - Wait, what? A day after she became mayor of Mississauga, Carolyn Parrish used strong mayor powers to pass a bylaw allowing her to “hire and dismiss certain city officials” — which she used the very next day to fire chief administrative officer Shari Lichterman, amid other changes to the city’s senior staff. - Zoom out: With a few notable exceptions, most mayors have used their new powers sparingly, if at all, a year after they were granted. [And yet, a sense of unease over the broad, sweeping powers remains](. Steve Russell/Toronto Star HOUSING [Toronto’s “most flood vulnerable” neighbourhood continues to wait for change after another deluge]( In Matt Di Iorio and Paola Ferrante’s basement on Hilldale Road, a brown layer of sewage coats roughly 1,000 feet of their floor, Manuela Vega reports. “If I have to just fix what I fixed last time in the basement to bring it up to standard, it would be around $70,000 to $80,000,” Di Iorio said. Like many in the Rockliffe-Smythe neighbourhood, it’s the third flood the family had weathered in just seven years, even with locals taking measures from installing backwater valves to flood-prevention doors. [Here’s what it’s like living in one of Toronto’s “most flood vulnerable” areas](. - More: In 2022, a motion was approved to compensate homeowners in the area up to $7,500 after a flood. “Better than a kick in the teeth,” according to some residents, but still only enough to cover a tenth of the associated costs. - Meanwhile: Last week’s torrential downpour was the once-in-a-century storm that city planners have braced for, and the third to have happened since 2013. While Mayor Olivia Chow was quick to blame the catastrophe on climate change, [the reality is a little more complicated — and potentially scarier](. - What we know: The city simply wasn’t built to withstand weather events like the sudden downpour, which emptied a month’s worth of rain in three-and-a-half hours. [How can Toronto’s infrastructure adapt to the increasing prevalence of devastating storms?]( WHAT ELSE Is this the future of Canada’s fight against opioids? [Why the “Alberta model” has some alarmed](. LCBO workers ratify deal to end strike, [stores to reopen Tuesday](. “Can you make sure we come back?” Inside one final field trip, [on the Ontario Science Centre’s last day](. Regent Park community calls for stronger road safety measures after [pregnant woman and her baby killed in crosswalk crash](. Rain to return in Toronto this week after Tuesday’s devastating deluge. [Here’s the weather forecast](. To graduate from rat school I scoured New York’s most infested alleyways and subway stations. [Here’s what I found](. [“Rentvesting” can help you buy a home](. Can it work for you? [How to get a great deal on a new condo in Toronto]( — if you’re feeling bold. The science behind the swimmer: How the dolphin kick is [pushing Maggie Mac Neil to Olympic greatness](. Paris Olympics: [How Sarah Mitton is breaking body image stereotypes]( ahead of the Paris Olympics. He’s worked with Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Now he’s the creative director of the Eras Tour. [How a Canadian became pop’s secret weapon](. Antiquing road trip! Three top Toronto interior design pros [reveal the best treasure-hunting spots in Ontario](. POV Toronto Star/Associated Press file photos [Gold medal athletes, last-place food: My memories of covering 17 Olympics as the Paris Games approach.]( CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/Toronto Star EXHIBITION PLACE: American driver Colton Herta (centre) celebrates his dominating victory at the Honda Indy race in Toronto Sunday, capping off a chaotic spectacle that included six restarts and a massive, multi-car crash on the 73rd lap. [Here’s how the 24-year-old came out on top in a race only 15 out of 27 cars were able to finish](. 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_216997). 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](