Fighting misinformation about 15-minute cities

Plus, concerns over private use of hospital ORs and ignored warnings of China's interference [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. Reports show a [70 per cent chance Toronto will get more snow this week](. Here’s the latest on misinformation about 15-minute cities, a hospital opening operating rooms to a private corporation, and ignored warnings about Chinese interference. DON’T MISS Jason Franson for The Star canada [Inside one man’s battle against the 15-minute city conspiracy theory]( In Canada, Edmonton city Coun. Andrew Knack has become the person most associated with the 15-minute city. A longtime advocate for biking and active transportation, he touted the idea of the 15-minute city when he last ran for office in 2021. Now, with conspiracy theorists raising fears that he’s advocating for something darker, Knack is pushing back against a tide of misinformation. Alex Boyd explores [how the internet deployed 15-minute city conspiracy theories to all corners of the English-speaking world, and how Knack is relying on good old-fashion talking to set the record straight](. - Context: The conspiracy theories ignited when a few British towns put forward proposals to reduce traffic congestion by restricting where people could drive. Canterbury, for example, proposed splitting the city into zones, with drivers only allowed to go between them via a surrounding ring road. - Then what happened? What was interpreted as limits on movement became merged online with the idea of the 15-minute city. The whole mess was knitted together by lingering fears COVID-style lockdowns. - More: [How the dream of 15-minute cities was twisted into a nightmare](. - David Olive’s take: The 15-minute city could be life-changing for Torontonians — [but we won’t talk about that](. Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld health care [Ontario’s health minister is facing questions about this]( deal with a corporation of surgeons]( Members of the Ontario NDP are pressing the provincial government for more details of a controversial new partnership that allows a private corporation to lease Ottawa Hospital’s operating and recovery rooms on Saturdays, report Kenyon Wallace and Megan Ogilvie. The partnership with the private Academic Orthopedic Surgical Associates of Ottawa Inc. (AOAO) has raised concerns among health-system experts and hospital-worker unions about patient safety, liability and potential poaching of hospital staff. [Here’s what NDP MPPs are asking Health Minister Sylvia Jones]( - What we know: A hospital employee who spoke to the Star on the condition of anonymity said registered nurses at the campus are being offered a flat rate of $750 a day to work with AOAO, while registered practical nurses are being offered $550 and clerical staff $600. Nurse unions say these rates are roughly double what would be made on a regular hospital shift. - Word from Queens Park: Jones’ office declined to comment Monday and referred the Star to an emailed statement from last week, in which a spokesperson said “we are excited to see our partners, like The Ottawa Hospital, taking innovative action to eliminate the joint replacement surgical backlog and reduce patient wait times so more Ontarians can receive the care they need, closer to home.” - ICYMI: [Ottawa Hospital is opening operating rooms to a private corporation](. Steve Russell/The Star federal politics [Chinese Canadians say they reported interference for years — and were ignored]( For nearly two decades, Chinese-Canadian advocates and experts say they’ve continuously warned of Beijing’s desire to “control everything” — including the activities of Canadians — but they’ve struggled to gain traction with the government or police. Many say none of the recent leaks of Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) warnings against Beijing’s foreign interference efforts come as a surprise to members of the Chinese diaspora who have directly experienced intimidation and harassment. “These are not even open secrets. It’s common knowledge,” said Cheuk Kwan, an author and filmmaker who co-founded the Chinese Canadian National Council in 1980. [Joanna Chiu details numerous reports of Beijing’s blunt coercion tactics and why Ottawa is paying attention now](. - What we know: The Globe and Mail and Global TV reported separately on details of interference efforts during the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Among them were intimidation campaigns; China backing the nomination of Liberal candidate Han Dong in 2019; undeclared cash donations to candidates; schemes to have some of that money paid back to donors; and having businesses hire Chinese students who were then lent out to volunteer. - Now what? On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked MPs and senators on Parliament’s national security committee to launch a new investigation of foreign interference in Canada. - Go deeper: In 2018, Mounties in Metro Vancouver probed allegations that a Chinese-state-linked organization urged people on the social-media app WeChat to vote for certain mayoral candidates — and offered a $20 transportation subsidy. But police later said they found no evidence of voter manipulation. WHAT ELSE Justin Trudeau will appoint a special rapporteur to probe foreign interference in elections. [Is that enough? Conservatives say no](. The Ontario Court of Appeal has struck down Premier Doug Ford’s controversial campaign finance law. [Here’s what that means for Ford’s party](. Pierre Poilievre is firing racism charges back at Justin Trudeau — [and sticking up for controversial Tory MPs](. [Toronto’s deputy mayor is seeking millions]( from the federal and provincial governments for a bail out. [Metrolinx announced it will cut down more than two thousand trees in the Don Valley]( this month as they proceed with the new Ontario Line. Days after a massive winter storm, some Toronto sidewalks and walkways are still not clear. [Here’s what the city had to say](. The largest cross-border drug case in Toronto police history has suddenly collapsed. [Here’s what we know](. A federal report shows organized [financial crime]( the early days of the pandemic](. Danielle Smith is calling for “radical transparency” after the [Imperial Oil spill in northern Alberta](. Several schools in Peel region have been [threatened with shootings in a post on social media](. These five Ontario cities have seen home prices fall by almost 30 per cent — [nearly double Toronto’s drop](. A family is seeking answers after a [23-year-old B.C. woman was found dead in Mexico.]( ICYMI Steve Russell/The Star [Welcome to Milton: ground zero of Canada’s rising mortgage crisis.]( CLOSE-UP Gbemiga Olamikan/AP Photo ABUJA: Thousands of Nigerian opposition supporters protested in the capital Monday against the country’s presidential election results, [as calls for a revote intensified](. 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_170312). Manuela will see you back here tomorrow. 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](