Are Rogers and John Tory too close for comfort?

Plus, Indigenous people need more answers from the Pope and a summer program healing a traumatized Toronto community [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on growing criticism of Pope Francis’s apology to residential school survivors, an integrity complaint against John Tory and how a new program could help a community heal in the aftermath of a high school shooting. DON’T MISS Cole Burston/Getty Images reconciliation [Many Indigenous people are anxious for more answers from Pope Francis]( Following a mass delivered to 50,000 people at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium Tuesday, Pope Francis paused for a moment of reflection at Lac Ste. Anne. Now on the third day of his pilgrimage, scrutiny is growing of the Pope’s apology for the Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system. Although many believe Francis is sincere and say his apology has helped them heal, others — including several high-profile critics — say it didn’t go far enough. [Here’s what the people who trekked out to Alberta to hear from the Pope have to say](. - Wait, what? The Pope’s mass focused on the importance of family — striking some as odd, as it didn’t address Monday’s apology or how the residential school system severed ties between Indigenous children and their families and culture. - More: [Here’s why Pope Francis’s apology “left a deep hole,” according to Murray Sinclair]( a former judge and senator who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. - Pam Palmeter’s take: Pope Francis, your hollow apology skipped over the Church’s complicity and cover-up of sexual abuse of thousands of children. [Here’s how the glaring omission hurts many Indigenous Peoples — and puts more kids at risk](. Canadian Press/Cole Burston city hall [Mayor John Tory is facing an integrity complaint over his ties to Rogers]( Tory has long had personal and professional connections with the Rogers family, creating the potential for a conflict of interest since he was first elected mayor in 2014. Now, with a formal application to the city’s integrity commissioner, an activist is seeking answers about whether the connection put Tory in a conflict of interest during a council vote last month over a pandemic-era road closure program. The mayor has denied any wrongdoing, while a spokesperson for Rogers declined to comment. Here’s why there may have been a conflict of interest — [and what it could mean for the mayor](. - By the numbers: The mayor vowed before he took office to recuse himself from any issues involving a “Roger-controlled company.” He has declared interests on at least 23 Rogers-related items at city hall this term alone. - Council shakeup: [The mass exodus of progressive councillors from city hall continues](. Mike Layton will not seek re-election in October, leaving behind a legacy of fighting the climate crisis and opening bike lanes. - Go deeper: [Here’s why these seven councillors are giving up their seats at city hall]( Paige Taylor White/The Star EDUCATION [A fatal shooting devastated this high school — but this summer initiative is helping “rebuild trust”]( How do you help a traumatized community heal? Part of the process is rebuilding trust. Following the death of a student from Scarborough’s David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, the idea emerged for a summer learning hub for students in grades 4 to 12. Initiatives providing programming that wouldn’t otherwise be available are particularly important in underserved communities, the school’s principal says. [Isabel Teotonio takes a look at the ways this one-of-a-kind learning hub is helping strengthen community ties](. - Wait, what? The program aims to engage youth throughout the summer, give them a place to be and connect them with caring adults who are invested in their well-being. - Go deeper: In addition to academics and recreation, the program provides a safe space just for girls, leadership and employment opportunities for teens, and a free, healthy lunch each day. - Watch for: The summer program ends July 29. The school board is treating the learning hub as a pilot project, and may replicate it in other neighbourhoods next year. [Food Crawl launch] Eat your way through the best of the GTA. From strip mall standouts to downtown gems, nobody knows Toronto like the Star’s food team, and our new newsletter Food Crawl is your guide to where to go, what to order and why you’ve got to try it. [Sign up for free here](. WHAT ELSE [Here’s a look back at Andrea Horwath’s legacy]( as she makes a bid for Hamilton mayor. [This may be why Stephen Harper endorsed Pierre Poilievre for CPC leader](. An advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and her son are missing. [The community say they]( “significantly at risk.”]( To fight monkeypox, experts say we need paid sick days for all and more information. [Here’s what we know about the global health emergency](. Sport Canada knew about 2018 sexual assault allegations against players. [Here’s what else the hearings are revealing](. First COVID, and now the economy. [Here’s how many Canadians’ mental health has reached a breaking point](. Convoy organizer Tamara Lich has been [released on bail — again — with this warning](. A child died after being struck by a GO train in Mississauga. [Here’s what we know](. [Peek inside this $20M Muskoka “castle on the lake”]( by Drake’s Bridle Path home designer. Here’s why Toronto property listings are [being cancelled at “unprecedented” rates](. ICYMI Toronto Star File Photo [Here’s how staycations are helping Ontario’s tourism sector rebound — and why there’s still a long road to recovery ahead.]( CLOSE-UP Grace Ekpu/AP Photo CAMEROON: Fisherman Alfred Ojah shows his catch after fishing for hours in the Atlantic, near Limbe, on April 12. Cameroon has become a go-to country for European fishing giants to acquire a “flag of convenience” — [here’s why experts say it undermines sustainability efforts and threatens the livelihoods of millions of people](. 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_136642). 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](