The convoy arrives in Ottawa — and with it, potential lone wolves

Plus, a pestering private eye, outsourcing a COVID-19 benefit and the movies you may have missed during lockdown [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Just like my behind-the-scenes First Up collaborator Catharine, [Iceland’s first lady grew up in Canada]( before winding up on that frosty, north Atlantic rock. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen the two in the same room at once. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Canadian Press/Justin Tang Convoy [Police warn residents of potential “lone wolf” agitators as truckers arrive in Ottawa]( With the so-called “Freedom Convoy” rolling into Canada’s capital, police are warning local residents to avoid the downtown core out of concern that “lone wolf individuals” and “parallel groups” could inject the proceedings with violence. “We have yet to receive a direct threat assessment,” Ottawa’s police chief said Friday. “We cannot ignore the direct hate language and threats, and we cannot ignore the direct attempts to incite violence and criminality in and around the demonstration.” [Alex Ballingall sets the stage as the nation’s eyes turn to Parliament Hill](. Instagram/Mitchell Dubros crime [How a private eye tried to bury Mike Bullard’s harassment case]( When comedian and former late night TV host Mike Bullard was facing criminal charges in 2018 for harassing Citytv reporter Cynthia Mulligan, Bullard’s legal team deployed a private investigator to help “dig up dirt.” As far as private eyes go, Mitch Dubros was straight out of central casting — leather jacket, aviator sunglasses — as well as being a self-described “paranormal” sleuth. Now, having intimidated witnesses in an apparent attempt to have the case buried, Dubros is facing charges for obstructing justice. [Read Kevin Donovan’s full investigation](. Canadian Press/Chris Young star exclusive [Ontario is paying tens of millions to have a consulting firm run its COVID-19 sick leave program]( When the province announced the Worker Income Protection Benefit last April, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board felt it didn’t have the bandwidth to design and implement the COVID-19 sick leave program. Then, without a competitive bidding process, WSIB and Doug Ford’s government awarded two contracts — to the tune of $43.7 million — for consulting firm Deloitte LLP to run it, Josh Rubin reports. Not all funds have been paid out yet, sources say, but it remains unclear how many Deloitte staffers were assigned to the project or where the work was done. [Here’s what we know](. R.J. Johnston/The Star star investigation [Regulators are investigating a Toronto physician linked to a covert ivermectin prescription ring]( The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has launched an investigation into Dr. Ira Bernstein, co-founder of the Canadian Covid Care Alliance that’s been pushing unproven alternative COVID-19 treatments — specifically anti-parasitic drug ivermectin. The news follows this week’s in-depth investigation from First Up’s own Lex Harvey, who infiltrated the hush-hush operation to detail the doctors ignoring Health Canada’s warnings. [Here’s the latest fallout from Lex’s investigation](. John Mahler/The Star first person [Remembering the late Star columnist Gary Lautens]( When Gary Lautens died suddenly on Feb. 1, 1992, he left behind a loyal readership — one that lined up for days to sign a book of condolences in the lobby of the Toronto Star’s office. But to the rarest subset of fans, he was simply dad. Thirty years on from the cherished humourist’s passing, [Stephen Lautens reflects on his father’s legacy](. POV Tom Spears: Dear “Freedom Convoy,” don’t expect a warm welcome from Ottawans — [we’re not in the mood](. Penny Mamais: If truckers were predominantly women — just like Canada’s nurses — [no one would care](. Bob Hepburn: It’s time to stop being courteous and [call out the vile, hate-filled anti-vaxxers among us](. Vinay Menon: The world is scary enough. Let’s ditch alarmist weather like [“bomb cyclones” and “thundersnow.”]( Peter Howell: [Here are 10 films worth watching]( (and some to avoid) from this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Gregor Chisolm: Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were [scapegoats of baseball’s steroid era to the end](. watch THIS Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures/TNS With Ontario’s movie theatres reopening at 50 per cent capacity on Monday, film-goers have plenty to catch up on. From blockbuster fare like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to awards-bait like “Licorice Pizza,” Marriska Fernandes [runs through the movies you might’ve missed](. Thanks for reading. 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_102667), and I will see you back here tomorrow to round out the weekend. [The Star]( 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]( [Become a Star Subscriber]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](