How Canada is finding "balance" in its approach to Ukraine

Plus, a desperate need for blood donations and dropped charges for a young man who killed his father while on mushrooms [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on Canada’s efforts to support Ukraine’s military, the need for blood donations amid the lowest supply in a decade and dropped charges for a man who fatally stabbed his father while on mushrooms. DON’T MISS John Moore/Getty Images war in ukraine [Canadian troops will train Ukrainian soldiers in the U.K.]( Under Operation Unifier, Canadian troops trained more than 33,000 Ukrainian military and security personnel from 2015 until the start of the Russian invasion in February. As the war in Ukraine rages on, training will resume — this time as part of a British-led initiative, Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Thursday. [Here’s more on Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s “short-, medium-, and long-term defence needs.”]( - Meanwhile: Canada returned turbines repaired here to Germany, which will allow Russian natural gas to flow to Europe. “It’s a balance,” Anand said. “We must continue to support Ukraine and at the same time show solidarity with our European allies.” - Go deeper: [Here’s how Ukrainian representatives blasted Ottawa for returning Russia’s turbines](. Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh health care [Canada only has three days’ worth of O+ blood supply]( Canadian Blood Services is seeing the lowest number of donors in a decade, with only a few days’ worth of O+ and O- blood. As it works to ramp up blood supply, the service says it needs 57,000 potential donors across Canada to make appointments by the end of August to support patients in need. [Here’s what other blood types are needed — and how mask guidelines are adding to the challenge of collecting donations this summer](. - Why it matters: “In emergency situations when there’s no time to confirm a patient’s blood type, O-negative blood can mean the difference between life and death,” CBS spokesperson Delphine Denis in an email. - Go deeper: There is a “constant” need for blood, plasma and platelets, Denis said, especially for cancer patients, accident and trauma victims, people undergoing surgery and people with blood disorders. Supplied Photo courts [He was found guilty in 2018 of fatally stabbing his father while on magic mushrooms — now the charges have been dropped]( When he was 19, Thomas Chan experienced a violent, drug-induced psychotic episode after taking magic mushrooms. He was convicted of manslaughter for stabbing his father and of aggravated assault for attacking his dad’s partner on that December 2015 night. This spring, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that extreme intoxication should be allowed as a defence. [Here’s why the prosecution decided to withdraw its charges rather than proceed with a retrial](. - Context: At trial, Chan was not permitted to raise the automatism defence because Section 33.1 of the Criminal Code said it can’t be used by an individual charged with a violent assault. This spring, the Supreme Court found Section 33.1 to be unconstitutional, depriving Chan of access to the non-insane automatism defence. - More: The prosecution is not conceding, however, that Chan “was an automaton” that evening. Automatism is when someone claims to have been so intoxicated or impaired that they lose complete control of themselves. WHAT ELSE Here’s why the UN is [reminding us of the prospect of “annihilation.”]( [Here’s what Canada risks if it doesn’t act now]( to stop the spread of monkeypox. Ontario’s health minister wants “every effort” made to approve foreign-trained nurses and doctors. [Here’s what that could include](. Bell clerical workers were facing a strike. [Here’s why their union says the telecom giant wanted workers to cross the picket line](. Richmond Hill residents are wondering [how this monster house was approved for construction](. Most regions are seeing home prices drop. [Here’s where GTA home prices jumped and slumped](. [What’s next for Toronto now that left-leaning councillors are leaving the building?]( Get out of downtown or go to a food festival. [Here’s what to do in Toronto this weekend](. Here’s why conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has to [pay Sandy Hook parents $4 million](. The feds have [charged four police officers involved in the raid that killed Breonna Taylor.]( [The best butter tarts in the city come from this Toronto baker’s basement](. [A 1906 mansion’s doorway opens to their upscale 2022 condo](. ICYMI Steve Russell/The Star [Regent Park was one of Canada’s largest social housing neighbourhoods. Now, this studio there costs more than $2,000 to rent.]( CLOSE-UP Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo RUSSIA: U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison on Thursday after Russian police said they found vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. [Here’s more on what the U.S. Embassy’s charge d’affaires called “a miscarriage of justice.”]( 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_138072). 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](