Personal choice? Vaxxed Ontarians are "taking the hit for the team"

Plus, Ottawa's decriminalization efforts and representation on Ontario's juries [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on Ottawa’s readiness to decriminalize drugs, how going unvaccinated puts everyone at risk, and representation on Ontario’s juries. DON’T MISS Justin Tang for The Star decriminalization [Is Ottawa “more worried about losing votes than saving lives?”]( Thousands of Canadians die every year from opioid overdoses, often due to their drugs being poisoned. Advocates say a lot needs to change for lives to be saved, from ensuring a legal and safe supply, to investing in social services, and decriminalizing possession and dealing. Although the government has barely budged, Parliament is now looking at two pieces of legislation that attempt to address the crisis, Jacques Gallant reports. The Liberals’ justice reform package proposes some changes to the handling of illicit drug cases, but — unlike an upcoming NDP private member’s bill — it doesn’t eliminate possession as a criminal offence. [Is Ottawa finally ready to decriminalize drug use?]( - By the numbers: More than 5,300 people died from January to September 2021 for opioid-related reasons, primarily in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. As many as 4,000 Canadians could die of overdose in the first half of this year, the Public Health Agency of Canada projects. - More: Police disproportionately target Black and Indigenous people for possession charges. - The Star’s take: People are dying from poisoned drugs. [Politicians must act to ensure safe supply](. R.J. Johnston/The Star sixth wave [Remaining unvaccinated increases transmission risk to the vaccinated]( A new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that those who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 aren’t only putting themselves at risk of infection — they’re also putting vaccinated people at greater risk. This is true, even when vaccination rates are high, lead author Dr. David Fisman said. The findings come amid a sixth wave that is seeing tens of thousands of new daily cases in the province, wastewater signals indicate. A spokesperson from Public Health Ontario said the findings align with what is known about COVID vaccines. [Here’s how vaccinated people are acting as a “buffer.”]( - Why it matters: “The risk for vaccinated individuals is driven disproportionately by their interactions with unvaccinated individuals,” Fisman told the Star. “This belies the idea that (vaccination) is just an individual’s personal choice that doesn’t affect anyone else.” - Go deeper: The term “endemic” has been perceived as a promise of a return to normal life. Experts say we’re not there yet. [Here’s why getting there may be less important than you think](. Steve Russell/The Star courts [A racially divided Toronto murder verdict highlights problems with Ontario juries]( In a recent Toronto murder trial, an overwhelmingly white jury found two Black defendants guilty, but couldn’t reach a verdict on the sole white defendant. Why? According to two jurors, it’s because the one dissenting juror was racist, Betsy Powell reports. Despite a series of landmark changes aimed at diversifying juries, several Toronto lawyers say the pool of people actually responding to jury summons appear to be less diverse than before — and dozens told the Star they feel the system is leaning more than ever in favour of the prosecution. [Here’s how one change may have backfired](. - Go deeper: The biggest change may have come in 2021, when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld a federal ban on “peremptory challenges,” which had allowed prosecutors and defence lawyers to reject some jurors without explanation. - The aftermath: A lawyer says changes have taken away the “very limited” power defence lawyers had in choosing a jury. He’s unhappy that judges — who are “overwhelmingly not representative” of those who are accused — now have more say in deciding which jurors are acceptable. WHAT ELSE Ottawa unveiled measures to [help international students become permanent residents](. Doug Ford’s pretend budget won’t have any surprises. [Those will come later](. Pierre Poilievre is the CPC leadership frontrunner. [Does Liberal history tell us what happens next?]( The cost of renting a condo in Toronto is [approaching its pre-pandemic peak]( according to a new report. The Ontario NDP is pledging a [four-year tax freeze]( for low- and middle-income families. Experts say they’re already [seeing signs Toronto’s housing market is finally slowing](. After two years of pandemic delays, a familiar figure returns to Toronto dress shops: [the wedding guest](. A landlord [withdrew eviction-for-renovation notices]( against Parkdale tenants. POV Rick Eglinton/The Star [From Nirvana to Goo Goo Dolls, here's how Gen Z is revitalizing 90s grunge and rock.]( CLOSE-UP Thomas Coex/Getty Images PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron [comfortably won a second term Sunday]( triggering a sigh of relief from EU and NATO allies that the nuclear-armed power won’t abruptly shift course in the midst of the war in Ukraine.  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_119906). I’ll 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. 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