Canada is standing tall against big tech. Will Pablo Rodriguez survive?

Plus, pogo power, Summer’s big splash and the unlikely resurrection of the Real McCoy [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Happy National Vanilla Ice Cream Day to all the boring people out there. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press POLITICS [Our heritage minister is taking on big tech. Will he stumble like the rest?]( Critics contest that Pablo Rodriguez didn’t fully understand the online platforms he sought to legislate through the controversial Bill C-18. Supporters counter that the federal heritage minister is on the right track — no easy feat since many ministers under Justin Trudeau have struggled with that file, Raisa Patel notes. Regardless, Rodriguez now finds himself in a game of chicken versus the tremendous heft of Google and Meta. [It’s little surprise the world is watching](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star CHERISHED ITEMS [A raw look at the possessions Toronto’s homeless people are careful to protect]( Without a home, safeguarding your belongings becomes a constant struggle, and dispossession is a real threat on the streets. When you can’t take all your things with you, sometimes some things get left behind. Ben Mussett spoke with eight people experiencing homelessness about the things that matter most. [These are the cherished items they will fight to keep and protect](. Markus Pukonen WORLD TRAVEL [The power to span the Earth and back was within Markus all along]( For the past eight years, Canadian explorer Markus Pukonen circumnavigated the globe, traversing 32 countries and over 73,000 kilometres before concluding his journey earlier this month. But here’s the twist, Joshua Chong reports: at no point did the environmentally minded Pukonen ever use a motor. Not even an elevator. Here’s how a father’s fateful diagnosis led to his son [sailing, skiing and even pogo-sticking his way across our planet](. Richie Dos Santos/For the Toronto Star FOOD FOR THOUGHT [Meet the unlikely trio behind the Real McCoy’s resurrection]( Following its closure in 2022, Scarborough comfort food institution Real McCoy is roaring back to life at a new location in just a few weeks. This time, Katie Daubs writes, owner George Mihail will be flanked by some unlikely supporters: a 30-year-old Sri Lanka-born businessman and his former fourth-grade teacher — both longtime Real McCoy customers. [Here’s what fans of the hallowed joint can expect](. Tim Clayton/Getty Images file photo PARIS 2024 [With the aquatics world watching, Summer McIntosh finds herself in historic company on Sunday]( A year from the Paris Olympics, record-breaking pool ace Summer McIntosh is gearing up to make a splash in the 400-metre freestyle at the World Aquatic Championships in Japan on Sunday. With U.S. legend Katie Ledecky and Aussie Olympic champ Ariarne Titmus at her side, the competition has been billed as “the most anticipated and tantalizing eight laps in the history of women’s swimming,” Kerry Gillespie reports. [Here’s why this could be the summer of Summer](. UP CLOSE Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star Beverley Salmon will go down in history as an important trail-blazer — the first Black woman on Toronto’s city council — and an icon of compassionate leadership. She changed lives in her 92 years with us, Tracey Tong reports. [Here’s more on one of the city’s most dedicated public servants](. explore THIS Pilsen Photo Co-op You can always find a good time in sneaky-cool Kansas City, Tim Johnson writes. Fountains, boulevards and green space earned it the nickname “Paris of the Plains.” One-of-a-kind attractions like the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, coupled with barbecue and bourbon, just make everything better. [Here’s why the Missouri metropolis should make your summer travel bucket list](. Thanks for reading. Before I go, I must admit that I myself enjoy vanilla ice cream; sorry if that’s boring. 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_192490), and Manuela 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. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](