Is nuclear the right choice for Canada's green future?

Plus, Indigenous health at a Toronto hospital and a teen that scored $4 million in scholarships [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on Canada’s green energy efforts, Indigenous health at one Toronto hospital and a student who landed millions of dollars in scholarships. DON’T MISS Canadian Press File Photo climate crisis [Canada and Ontario are turning to nuclear energy as a green solution — here’s the problem with that]( As the United Nations implores countries around the world to decarbonize by 2050, Canada is turning to nuclear power to get the job done on time — and investing more than $1 billion in public money. But is the energy source all it’s cracked up to be? Critics say nuclear’s cost overruns, construction delays and safety risks outweigh the benefits. They argue wind and solar are cheaper and quicker to build, without the long-term drawbacks of nuclear power. [Marco Chown Oved lays out its history around the world and in Canada — and explores why the enthusiasm for nuclear is problematic](. - Go deeper: Building nuclear to reduce emissions is a false solution, one expert said, because it will burden future generations with waste that will remain radioactive for thousands of years. - Looking back: Nuclear power was never meant to be commercially viable, another expert said. It was developed in the United States to convince the public that the power of the atom — which proved its destructive potential during WWII — could be used for good, he said. Lance McMillan/The Star health care [Doctors at this Toronto hospital can now refer Indigenous patients to a traditional healer]( In a country where Indigenous people continue to face systemic racism within the health care system, one hospital incorporates traditional healing practices and cultural support into its care. Doctors and nurses at Women’s College Hospital can refer First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients to a traditional healer just as easily as they would refer them to any other health-care practitioner when planning follow-up care. [Megan Ogilvie reports on the expansion of the hospital’s Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health and the differences it can make in Indigenous health care](. - Why it matters: “It’s a recognition that Indigenous healing practices for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are as important as the highest-quality biomedical care,” says the strategic lead in Indigenous health at the hospital. “The fact that we’re doing this within a hospital demonstrates that we believe these systems can work alongside one another.” - Go deeper: In 2020, Atikamekw mother Joyce Echaquan died of heart failure at a Quebec hospital as staff mocked her. A coroner ruled that racism was a contributing factor to her death. That same year, a report in B.C. found pervasive, systemic racism against Indigenous people in the province’s health care system. Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star education [How a Toronto high school student got $4.1 million in scholarship offers]( Before class, during lunch and after school, 17-year-old Jane Forrest paints. Her creative passion and her career goals have pushed her into the art studio and out of “a lot of high school moments” as she applied for 62 post-secondary programs, which each required a portfolio of her work. The Etobicoke School of the Arts (ESA) student has been accepted into each school she applied for and landed a major scholarship at her top choice, the prestigious Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art near Manhattan’s East Village. [Janet Hurley reports on Forrest’s craft and the efforts that got her millions of dollars in scholarships](. - More: Since being accepted into ESA, Forrest has participated in four solo exhibits and 28 group ones. She has also curated six exhibitions, been published 35 times and won 32 awards. - Go deeper: Forrest’s recent work is a series of oil on canvas paintings of buildings, primarily Toronto art studios at risk of being turned into condos. Her art, she said, is her way of storytelling. WHAT ELSE Doug Ford says police officers don’t need a degree. [Should Ontarians worry?]( The obsession, and its untold costs, [of trying to find housing in Toronto](. The Liberals are painting Pierre Poilievre as the next Donald Trump. [Here’s why that’s a risky strategy](. The war in Sudan raises the question: [If you are in trouble abroad, will Canada come get you?]( Canada’s population will hit 40 million in June. [It’s time we learned how to retain newcomers](. Can you survive on Canada’s government pension alone in retirement? [Experts say you might be surprised](. Ontario will get $121 million from the federal government to [fight gun and gang violence.]( Eight people died after an SUV [slammed into a crowd outside a migrant shelter in Texas](. “When is too much debt too much debt?” [Household data shows Canadians may be there](. Should Stacey, 31, [buy another property, travel or pay off debt?]( [The family of referee Wes McCauley got threats]( when the Leafs played the Lightning in the NHL playoffs, a source says. Fancy a cocktail? [These Toronto bars are among North America’s best according to a new ranking](. ICYMI Amy Dempsey/The Star [Midnight brawls, a baby raccoon and a police chief’s letter: How the “World’s Worst McDonald’s” became a symbol of downtown decay.]( CLOSE-UP Government of Alberta Fire Service ALBERTA: A wildfire burns a section of the forest in the Grande Prairie district in a May 6 handout photo. Cooler temperatures and a bit of rain offered relief in some areas of central northern Alberta as evacuations on Sunday rose to 29,000. [Here’s the latest](. 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_180573). I’ll 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](