Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, the last of her kind

Plus, new benefits coming out of the Liberal-NDP deal and how entrepreneurs were lured to a reality TV fiasco [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, an agreement between the Liberals and New Democrats and the absurd tactics used to attract successful entrepreneurs to reality TV shows that never came to be. DON’T MISS Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images obituary [Queen Elizabeth II has died]( The longest-serving monarch in British history died Thursday at age 96. Queen Elizabeth II reigned over a devolving empire, almost from her coronation. That the monarchy survived into the 21st century — despite political and social convulsions, public dysfunction and indecency of the Royal Family — is almost certainly thanks to her, Jim Coyle and Lynda Hurst write. [In the Queen’s obituary, the former Star reporters reflect on what made her the last of her kind](. - What we know: [Here’s how the Queen’s death will affect Canada]( government](. - What we don’t know: Shrouded in secrecy, [“Operation London Bridge” details what happens next in Canada](. - More: Her face is on our currency, and islands bear her name. [Here’s what will — and won’t — change](. - Go deeper: Justin Trudeau’s relationship with the Queen spanned 45 years. [Despite his discretion, he wore his heart on his sleeve in his tribute](. - Interactive: [These are the stories behind 12 unforgettable photos of the Queen in Canada]( — from the people who met her. Justin Tang/AFP via Getty Images federal politics [The Liberals are set to announce a slew of new NDP-friendly benefits ]( The New Democrats have come to an agreement with the Liberals to double the GST tax credit for six months, send low-income youth cheques for dental services by the end of the year, and give $500 to people receiving the Canada Housing Benefit and spending at least 30 per cent of their income on rent, NDP sources told the Star. [Here are more details on the deal and its expected impact](. - Context: Under an agreement struck back in March, the Liberals pledged to commit to key NDP policies in exchange for the New Democrats supporting Trudeau’s minority government until 2025. - Watch for: The Liberals plan to introduce the measures in a new bill when the House of Commons resumes Sept. 19. It will still be up to parliamentarians to pass the bill by year’s end or early 2023, the NDP said. - ICYMI: [Trudeau told his cabinet he’s sticking around as leader for the next election](. Toronto Star Photo Illustration FOUR DAYS: PART 3 [How Christopher LaVoie cast his reality show and reeled in successful entrepreneurs]( First in Montreal, and then in Miami, Christopher Lavoie convinced “contestants” to participate in reality TV shows about saving the world that never came to fruition — despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars participants collectively poured in. He used charm, others’ personal tragedies and fake celebrity endorsements. The more contestants questioned their decision to take part in the show, the richer Lavoie’s promises got. [Take a look at the lengths he went to to attract and retain participants](. - Context: Lavoie’s assistants followed a “script” that would include asking prospective participants about their “dream” and what “their most traumatic experience” was. One participant had been recovering from stage three thyroid cancer, and went for it despite her doubts about the price tag. - Wait, what? Before Miami, contestants were presented with recordings from a celebrity video service they were told were endorsements — including a video of Elijah Wood, who played Frodo in “The Lord of the Rings”, but LaVoie’s assistant mistakenly told them “he played Harry Potter”. - More: Catch up on parts [one]( and [two]( and after reading part three, check out parts [four]( and [five](. WHAT ELSE Ontario has a “limited” number of the new bivalent vaccines. [Here’s what we do and don’t know about its rollout](. Doug Ford’s Tories pushed through their “strong mayor” law for Toronto and Ottawa. [This is what’s set to change](. How did the Saskatchewan stabbing suspect die? [Take a look at the public’s path to answers](. Plus, these are some of the [unanswered questions still hanging over the deadly rampage](. Trump’s longtime ally Steve Bannon pleaded not guilty to duping donors about a wall on the southern border. [Check out the details of the case](. The number of households turning to the city’s rent bank nearly doubled from 2019 to 2021. [These factors may have pushed them to do so](. Before the police stormed in, [this was Toronto’s Pussy Palace](. Why did this Toronto house listed for $900,000 [sit on the market for three months?]( Jewels, screen queens and more: [Here’s what you need to know about TIFF’s return](. [Here’s how Elton John paid tribute to the Queen at his final Toronto show](. Live organ donation offers patients hope for faster, better transplants. [Read about how it went for one mom and her son](. Got your ear plugs? [Dinosaur Jr. preserved the spirit of grunge and hardcore for a new generation of rock fans](. POV Canadian Press/Michael Bell [Pierre Poilievre could be leading us down the same dark and nasty road Trump has taken Americans.]( CLOSE-UP Canadian Press/Doug Ball BUCKINGHAM PALACE: For years, this photo of Pierre Trudeau pirouetting during a May 7, 1977 photo call was described as the prime minister twirling behind an oblivious Queen Elizabeth. [It turns out the Queen is missing from the infamous photo](. 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_143770). Ashley 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](