Plus, why does Ontario continue to house immigration detainees in jails as other provinces end the practice? [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. [Thousands of protesters have flocked to Queen’s Park and other cities to tell the provincial government, “enough is enough.]( Here’s the latest. MUST READS
Richard Lautens/Toronto Star Race to city hall [In the mayoral race, Olivia Chow is everybody's target]( The campaign is narrowing to a single question: can anyone stop Olivia Chow? The former NDP MP has been riding high in the polls since she entered the race in mid-April. For the past month, she’s enjoyed a sustained lead, with about 30 per cent of decided voters saying they back her, according to the Star’s poll tracker. To have a chance, her rivals must find a way to bring her down to earth, and quickly, writes Ben Spurr. [Here’s how the trailing mayoral hopefuls are looking to erode Chow’s front-runner campaign](.
Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star CAGED BY CANADA [Ontario continues to house immigration detainees in jails even as other provinces put an end to “truly shocking” practice]( Five provinces have recently scrapped their agreements with the Canada Border Services Agency, ending jail use for immigration detention — but not Ontario. The Star found 458 immigration detainees were held in Ontario maximum-security jails in 2022. Over 80 per cent were detained because the CBSA believed they were “unlikely to appear” for their deportation or their identity was in doubt. Brendan Kennedy reports on [why using jails for immigration detention has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and human rights groups and why Ontario has continued the practice](.
Steve Russell/Toronto Star Environment [The next step in the Greenbelt battle: protecting the once off-limits Oak Ridges Moraine]( Over this past term, the Doug Ford government has reneged its promise to protect the Greenbelt. Now, advocates worry about the ecological health of the Oak Ridges Moraine, which naturally replenishes the GTA’s underground aquifers and feeds the headwaters for some 65 streams and rivers from the Niagara Escarpment to the Trent River. With plans to build transit, wastewater infrastructure, housing and a long-term care facility on the moraine, [Noor Javeed breaks down why environmental groups worry the changes will permanently damage the ecological landscape](.
Handout STAR EXCLUSIVE [A Conservative and Liberal join hands to get to the bottom of foreign interference in their riding]( When Dave Hayer was running to become a federal Conservative MP, he noticed that most of his Chinese-descent volunteers were dropping out of the campaign in fear for themselves and their families. The longtime B.C. politician says he was told there was a lot of wrong and misleading information about the Conservatives on WeChat. The now-retired politician has been joined by Liberal Ken Hardie, who beat Hayer to become MP, to advocate for greater vigilance against foreign interference, reports Joanna Chiu. [Here’s why they’re calling on the government to do more to safeguard Canada’s democracy from foreign threats](.
Todd Korol/The Canadian Press Alberta [Rachel Notley built the Alberta NDP into a political force. Is it time for her to move on?]( After leading her party for a third straight election and coming close to a win last Monday, Rachel Notley’s leadership has a question mark hanging over it, writes Kieran Leavitt. While Canadian leaders rarely take on a fourth election, especially after losing two in a row, Notley is now the province’s most experienced and longest sitting MLA. With some in her party rumoured to be eyeing her spot, [here’s how NDP members are weighing Notley’s future as their leader](. UP CLOSE
Steve Russell/Toronto Star Cici’s Pizza & Wings is both nostalgic and new, with menu items named after long-time regulars. While Diana Huynh modernized Cici’s when she took over from her parents in 2016, it remains a place where you can get a big cheese slice for $4 or a large one-topping pizza for $12, writes Karon Liu. [Here’s what makes this Parkdale pizzeria one of Toronto’s best and why the charm goes beyond the food](. know THIS
Elojotorpe/Getty Images Travel is back, and prices are up, writes Alexandra Skores. Airfare to Europe and Asia this summer is the highest in over five years, with flights averaging over $1,100 per ticket and over $1,800 per ticket, respectively. If you’re heading out of town soon, [here’s some expert advice you should consider before booking](. 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_185153), and Manuel 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.
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