The Greenbelt is worth the fight

Plus, 32 World Cup fans from the GTA make their pitch as the tournament kicks off [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. Sorry for the long delay with today's First Up. If you heard a loud noise in southern Ontario a little before 3:30 a.m. Saturday — you likely heard [the “sonic boom” of an asteroid entering earth’s atmosphere](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Lance McMillan/Toronto Star PROvincial politics [A new poll shows three-quarters of Ontarians want students in class ahead of a potential strike]( As the 5 p.m. Sunday deadline to let parents know whether workers will strike nears, a new Campaign Research survey revealed that people would equally blame the government and the union if schools are shut down Monday. The survey also showed that 77 per cent agree it is “important” that students remain in schools without any further disruptions, report Kristin Rushowy and Robert Benzie. As bargaining between both sides comes down to the wire, [read more for a breakdown of the survey results to learn how Ontarians feel about a possible walkout](. Supplied WORLD CUP 2022 [GTA soccer buffs from every competing country make their pitch]( As the World Cup kicks off today, the Star talked to GTA fans who belong to each of the tournament’s 32 countries and asked them why we should cheer for their side and where we should cheer for them. [From England to Iran, Cameroon, and Ghana, here’s what we learned](. Jason Franson/The Canadian Press CANADA [With her Indigenous roots questioned, is Danielle Smith also wrong about her Ukrainian great-grandfather?]( The Alberta Premier’s ancestry has raised eyebrows before. After stating she had Cherokee heritage, an APTN report found no evidence to demonstrate that. Now, after making controversial comments about the Ukraine war, Smith has turned again to her family tree, claiming that her great-grandfather was Ukrainian and that he fled communism and immigrated to Canada after the First World War. For the Star, Taylor C. Noakes looks closely at available records, which offer a different picture of the narrative Smith has publicly described. [Here’s what we know about Danielle Smith’s recent ancestry claims](. Toronto Star Photo Illustration/Court exhibits GETTING RICH: PART 4 [Fake bank statements. Maxed credit cards. Piles of lies. After the fire, a killer’s shocking secrets are revealed]( After the fatal fire that killed Rich Taylor’s mother and stepfather, homicide detectives quickly have a suspect. Al used his last words to identify his stepson as the killer, and now the police must investigate and prove Rich committed the crime. In the final instalment of the Getting Rich series, Susan Clairmont takes us through [how the police built a case against Rich that led to his conviction](. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star Opinion [Why the GTA’s beautiful Greenbelt is worth the fight]( It’s egregious that the government is using the housing crisis as an excuse to remove protections from part of the Greenbelt, writes Shawn Micallef. There’s ample room to reach our housing targets by adding density to the existing urban fabric. And while there seem to be several conflicts in Ontario dueling for attention, from healthcare to schools, [Shawn makes the case for why the Greenbelt is worth fighting for with everything we have](. UP CLOSE Richard Lautens/Toronto Star If you’re a history buff, you might be interested in visiting Muzeum Gold & Silver on Cumberland Street in Yorkville. The antique store is home to 650 military items, including dueling pistols, swords, bayonets, and a rare Canada General Service Medal. Owner Max Smirnov tells David Silverberg about [how he sources the historic items, and what motivates him to collect them](. VISIT THIS R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star File Photo Toronto’s world-class architecture is a big draw for tourists, but the city is also home to many lesser-known pieces of unique engineering that are redefining how locals live, learn, and congregate. [Celeste Percy-Beauregard lists six low-key, but eye-popping pieces of Toronto architecture]( Thanks for reading. You can reach 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_154795), and I will see you back here Monday. 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]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](