Behind the scenes of Canada's shady clinical trial industry

Plus, a wild week on the Hill and a three-on-one race for city council [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andy Takagi] By Andy Takagi Good morning. Here’s the latest on Canada’s shady clinical trial industry, a dramatic first week on the Hill and a crowded byelection ballot in Don Valley. DON’T MISS Andres Plana/The Star STAR/IJB INVESTIGATION [Inside Canada’s ‘exploitative’ clinical trial industry]( They’re called “professional guinea pigs” — lured in by money and perks, these desperate test subjects are incentivised to lie about side effects, possibly compromising the data used to approve drugs for the marketplace. All the while, government inspections are limited and monitoring of trial participants is lax. [Here’s how the clinical trial industry has been allowed to thrive in Canada](. - Part prison, part hospital: Trial participants interviewed by the Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau described spending days or weeks confined to clinical trial sites, undergoing round-the-clock testing and supervision. Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick federal politics [A (minor) cabinet shuffle and a foiled Tory plot]( Justin Trudeau’s government will survive a planned Conservative non-confidence vote next week after the Bloc and the NDP refused to join in on the plan. It was also a relatively easy matter of replacing Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who is stepping aside to run for leadership of the Quebec Liberals. [Here’s how a busy first week back on the Hill is wrapping up](. - Burn book: Pierre Poilievre did not hold back on his criticisms of both the NDP and Bloc leaders, but took special aim at Jagmeet Singh, calling him “a fake, a phoney,” and “a fraud” in the House of Commons. Richard Lautens/The Star municipal politics [How an attempt to rally the left in a city byelection failed]( It’ll be three against one in the Ward 15 Don Valley West byelection. Three Liberal-linked candidates will be on the ballot after a behind-the-scenes attempt to consolidate the left-leaning vote failed. All three will battle each other and their controversial conservative opponent Anthony Furey, a former Toronto Sun columnist. [Here’s how the Nov. 4 municipal byelection is shaping up](. - Heavy hitters: [Kathleen Wynne and John Tory entered the fray]( of the byelection amidst concerns of progressive vote-splitting. But the trio of progressive candidates are standing their ground, hoping they hold the key to defeating Furey. - Speaking of byelections: [Doug Ford’s PC’s held on to the provincial seat]( Thursday’s Bay of Quinte byelection, successfully defending against Liberal and NDP challengers. WHAT ELSE The Trudeau government is set to release a [report on how two Toronto terror suspects were allowed into Canada](. [Hezbollah’s leader vowed retaliation against Israel for its attacks on devices]( that killed dozens in Lebanon this week. [The Ford government’s deficit is down to $600 million]( while revenues were up. TDSB apologized after students [attended a downtown protest as a field trip](. Uniformed York region police are returning to schools. [Here’s how community members are reacting](. Waterloo police are still searching for a missing couple and their five-year-old son [last seen nearly three weeks ago](. Woe is Ezra. A federal court has ruled the far-right outlet [Rebel News is not eligible for journalism tax credits](. Toronto Pearson tanked on an airport customer satisfaction survey. [Look at just how poorly it did](. This condemned west-end public housing complex could quadruple in size. [Here’s how](. One of Canada’s top bankers is [leaving TD amid a money-laundering scandal]( Does Bell’s TSN have a lock on Raptors and Maple Leafs games for 20 years? [Experts say it doesn’t](. This Maple Leafs training camp is different for William Nylander — [personally and professionally](. POV Richard Lautens/The Star [Rogers now owns most of Toronto’s sports teams. What can already beleaguered fans expect?]( CLOSE-UP Giovanni Capriotti for The Star TORONTO: Does the Michelin Guide feel too stuffy for you? Good thing we have the Karon Guide instead. The Star’s resident food reporter released his annual list of the best places in the city to eat, including spots that won’t bankrupt you and will taste just as, if not better than, the spots that earned a Michelin nod this week. [Don’t click this link on an empty stomach](. 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_2501). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. Get [thestar.com]( + ePaper edition. Only $1 for 6 months! Save over $100. [Get This Offer]( 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. 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