Go inside preparations for tonight's debate

Plus, the climate debate in Alberta and the high cost of retired police dogs [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on preparations for tonight’s provincial leaders’ debate, why Albertans are struggling to tackle fears of natural disasters and who foots the bill for the health of retired police dogs. DON’T MISS Steve Russell/The Star ontario election [An inside look at the preparations for the final provincial leaders’ debate]( Ontario’s party leaders will go head-to-head tonight in what could be a turning point for the provincial election campaign. With Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives leading in the polls, the televised 90-minute debate is a chance for the New Democrats, Liberals and Greens to remind Ontarians why they’re worth voting for. From mock debates to studying their opponents’ demeanors, [here’s how party leaders are gearing up to take the stage](. - Watch for: Moderated by Toronto Star political columnist Althia Raj and TVO’s Steve Paikin, the debate gets underway at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast and streamed online. - ICYMI: Doug Ford can bring crib notes to the debate. [His rivals say they don’t need them](. - Go deeper: Never mind the provincial election — [can Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca win his own riding?]( Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward climate crisis [Climate and the legacy of “The Beast” make for unnerving times in Fort McMurray]( In 2016, the massive fire set Canada’s biggest oil and gas hub ablaze, resulting in the most expensive natural disaster in Canada’s history. Most Fort McMurray residents were evacuated physically unscathed, but many were left with mental and emotional scars. Only four years later, massive floods forced thousands to evacuate yet again. [Omar Mosleh digs into how the back-to-back natural disasters continue to affect Albertans today](. - More: The emissions changing Alberta’s climate are the result of  “The Alberta Advantage.” Oil and gas royalties allow it to be the only province without sales tax, making many reluctant to confront a narrative that threatens its cash cow.  - Who cares? A shocking 27 per cent of Albertans — more than anywhere else in the country — “did not worry about climate change at all” last year, a Leger poll shows. - Go deeper: The heat dome over parts of Alberta and B.C. last year resulted in 600 deaths, with nearly 250 people dying in a single day. Richard Lautens/The Star police [This police dog made breakthrough discoveries. Now he’s retired — and expensive.]( Meet Major, a German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix who can find a missing person or locate decades-old remains. In 2018, he guided police to victims of serial killer Bruce McArthur. Now, at nine years old, he’s retiring — like any other cop in their senior years — but unlike other officers, Major doesn’t have a pension to cover rising health costs associated with his years in a physically-demanding job. As the owners of retired police dogs call for help to cover their bills, pressure remains to decrease police budgets. [Here’s how one charity is trying to help]( - The aftermath: Many police services stop covering veterinary costs as soon as animals retire. But pre-existing conditions and injuries from the job can be a recipe for soaring insurance prices. [Get a front-row seat this provincial election] Get a front-row seat this provincial election. As the Ontario election heats up, you need This Week in Politics, featuring exclusive analysis from Queen’s Park bureau chief Robert Benzie and columnist Susan Delacourt. [Sign up here]( and you’ll start receiving their insight on what just happened, what it means — and what’s coming next. WHAT ELSE [Nearly 100 family doctor jobs have been left empty]( in Canada’s yearly hiring of medical graduates. Leadership hopeful Pierre Poilievre should have Conservatives [worried about his potential to self-destruct](. Death in a Small Town, a true crime podcast, delves into the [investigation of a toddler’s shocking death](. [Requests for mental health care are higher than ever]( for racialized communities hardest hit by COVID-19. David Milgaard, who spent decades behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, [died at 69](. The Buffalo shooter [targeted a Black neighbourhood]( officials say. [Kidney transplant recipients continue to face grave risks]( even at this stage of the pandemic. Simu Liu and Shawn Mendes lit up the Juno awards’  [celebration of music and diversity](. Here’s how a massive North York warehouse is [keeping the art of the movie poster alive](. Vaughan’s Nicolina Bozzo was [eliminated from “American Idol.”]( The bar for the Maple Leafs couldn’t be lower. [Something’s got to give](. Here’s how Falstaff helped the [rise of this young Canadian basketball star](. GET THIS Cameron Tulk/The Star [Who will win the Ontario election? Check out the latest poll results and projections.]( CLOSE-UP Steve Russell/The Star TORONTO: The super flower blood moon eclipse was visible from Toronto on Saturday night as the Earth moved across the sun’s path. The term “blood moon” comes from the dark red tinge to the Earth’s shadow on the moon. 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_123789). 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. [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](