Inside the EU country where deep Russian ties breed big wartime tensions

Plus, the story of Toronto real estate, and Jerry Dias' controversial legacy [The Star] First Up [By Lex Harvey] By Lex Harvey Good morning. Here’s the latest on tensions in Latvia over Russia, the story of Toronto real estate as told by residents of one street, and the controversial legacy of Jerry Dias. DON’T MISS Allan Woods/The Star war in ukraine [In the shadow of an invasion, tensions simmer in Latvia]( As Russia’s assault on Ukraine rages on, fears of divided loyalties lurk just below the surface in nearby Latvia. In capital city Riga, half the population is ethnically Russian or Russian-speaking, and a recent poll found a fifth of Russian-speaking Latvians support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send forces into Ukraine. Then there are those who can’t square their deeply ingrained attachment to Russia with the troubling scenes of Russian troops attacking Ukraine. They are realizing: “I thought that Putin was good, but he is not.” [Friend of First Up Allan Woods reports on the scene in Riga](. - Context: Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have been at the forefront of cracking down on disinformation since the war began. The three Baltic states have cancelled the signal of more than two dozen pro-Russian television broadcasts. - More: Latvia is struggling to support Ukrainian refugees — but questions are also arising about how to treat Russians seeking political asylum, fleeing a hostile environment where dissent can be punished with 15-year prison sentences. - Go deeper: Putin has escalated his rhetoric on dissenters. [Here’s what experts heard in his speech about “cleansing” Russia of “traitors.”]( Nathan Pilla/Star Illustration unreal estate [The story of Toronto real estate, as told by the residents of one everyday street]( Hopewell Avenue is a quiet street just minutes from bustling Eglinton West, where neighbours who bought their homes for modest prices on working-class salaries live next door to households who battled throngs of hopeful buyers for million-dollar homes, Victoria Gibson reports. The scene on Hopewell illustrates how the frenzied appetite for Toronto real estate pushes prices higher, transforming once affordable, humble neighbourhoods and tightening the squeeze on people who want to live here. From a $50,000 bungalow to a $1.3-million semi, [here are the stories of those residents](. - By the numbers: The average detached home sale price in the Hopewell Avenue area has soared from just over $255,000 in 2002 to more than $1.4 million in 2022. - Want more real estate news? The Star’s Living Here newsletter brings you dispatches from the front-lines of one of the world’s wildest real estate markets. [Sign up for free and you’ll start getting it in your inbox this weekend](. Canadian Press/Carlos Osorio labour politics [Inside the controversial career of former Unifor head Jerry Dias]( As the bombastic president of Canada’s largest private sector union, Jerry Dias could be counted on to make waves (he once lobbied to keep General Motors’ Oshawa plant open with a Sting concert and a Superbowl ad). But now the former Unifor president is in a different sort of media spotlight. On Monday, after Dias retired citing health concerns, the union revealed he is under investigation for allegedly breaching Unifor’s constitution. Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Rosa Saba [report on the latest twist in Dias’s complicated legacy](. - Context: Dias was the subject of a complaint in late January, the union said, and he was notified shortly before going on medical leave in early February. The results of the investigation are expected soon. - What we know: An employee at the GM plant Dias fought to keep alive said the whole process has been marked by an “absence of transparency.” “It’s damaging,” she said. “Things that happen at Unifor impact the labour movement as a whole across Canada.” - Word from Dias: In a September interview with the Star, Dias said unions have to adopt a “fighting culture.” “You have to have an opinion,” he said. “There’s a lot of labour leaders in this company that don’t like my opinion. I really don’t care.” WHAT ELSE If CP Rail workers are locked out this weekend you can expect to see [more supply shortages and higher prices](. A threatened [strike at Ontario colleges was averted]( by an agreement to enter into binding arbitration. As COVID-19 rules end, people are [coming to grips with the handshake](. Here’s what can Ontario learn from [Europe’s spring COVID spike](. [Is Jason Kenney done? ]( rival Brian Jean returns to Alberta’s legislature, a new poll offers some surprising numbers. Ontario is [staying firm on ending school mask mandates](. But some private schools will keep them. Texas officials say [a 13-year-old was driving]( the pickup truck that collided with a van, killing nine people, and injuring two Canadians. Russian strikes hit the outskirts of [Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and Lviv](. ICYMI Peter Power/The Star [Canadian dog rescues are bringing in more than just animals. Some imported canines carry diseases that can be dangerous to you and your pets.]( CLOSE-UP R.J. Johnston/The Star GRACIE’S: Japanese student Ryunosake Suzuki laughs with his friends at Grace O’Malley’s Irish pub on Duncan Street on St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto. Thanks 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_112741). Andrew will see you back here tomorrow. [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](