Metrolinx worker says he tried to stop train that killed woman

Plus, Trudeau’s cabinet overhaul and Canada’s changing immigration make-up [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle, Metrolinx safety and Canada’s immigration landscape. DON’T MISS Justin Tang/The Canadian Press FEDERAL POLITICS [Justin Trudeau has made sweeping changes to his cabinet]( To regain his political footing and confront Canada’s economic challenges, the prime minister has overhauled nearly all of his cabinet, Tonda MacCharles and Alex Ballingall report. On Wednesday, Trudeau dropped key ministers from his front bench, promoted some and shifted others. While he beamed about the revamped team, some observers noted that ministers in economic roles didn’t change, suggesting few fundamental differences. [Take a look](. - More: [Here are the losers and winners in Justin Trudeau’s major cabinet shuffle](. - Word from the Opposition: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre dismissed the shuffle as a “desperate attempt” by Trudeau “to distract from all that he has broken.” - Context: Trudeau said he wants to deliver “concrete results” on job creation, reconciliation and climate action. He also wants to tackle challenges arising from the war in Ukraine, the rise of authoritarianism, and the threat to democracies posed by foreign interference. - Susan Delacourt’s take: [Justin Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle reveals his ruthless streak — and that he’s not afraid to bruise egos](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star star exclusive [A Metrolinx employee says he tried to stop a GO train that killed a woman]( “What I saw Sunday will stay with me for the rest of my life,” employee Michael Olsen wrote in an email to Metrolinx leadership in June. A couple of days before, he had witnessed a woman on the tracks being fatally hit by a GO train — despite his repeated pleas, over several minutes, for the train to stop. The incident is part of a pattern, Olsen alleged in his email, that pressures employees to keep trains running at almost any cost, Lex Harvey reports. [Here’s what emails reveal and why they raise doubts about safety at Metrolinx]( - Wait, what? According to Olsen’s email, Metrolinx’s standard operating procedures require trains to stop when a trespasser on the tracks is reported to operating crews. The procedures were “not followed on Sunday (June 18), and I am furious about this,” Olsen wrote in the email. - Word from Metrolinx: The crown agency did not answer questions from the Star about what happened on June 18 and why dispatchers did not stop the train. In a statement, however, it said that the incident is being investigated internally and by the Office of the Chief Coroner and Halton police. It would not give data on how many people have been killed by its trains in the past five years. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press file photo immigration [How Toronto — and Canada’s — immigration landscape shifted because of one program]( A new study shows a program allowing provinces to choose their own skilled immigrants has dramatically changed the immigration landscape, Nicholas Keung writes. The program has led to a wider distribution of so-called economic immigrants selected for permanent residence solely for their skills and ability to contribute to the Canadian economy. [Here’s how the immigrant make-up has changed across the country](. - Context: The Provincial Nominee program — which only applies to economic immigrants — began modestly in 1998, with an overall annual target of 500 newcomers in 1999. By 2019, it became Canada’s largest economic immigration program. - More: The growth of this program has been at the expense of the country’s signature Federal Skilled Workers Program, which selects candidates with high education and professional experience. WHAT ELSE Sinéad O’Connor has died at 56 years old. [Here’s what you need to know about the acclaimed Irish singer](. Pierre Poilievre is defending his decision to [pay the legal fees for the “courageous” whistleblower who took down rival Patrick Brown](. A recent poll has found that [a majority of Ontarians think Doug Ford’s decisions benefit his “friends and supporters]( Here’s why [Ford has hired auditors to probe finances in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and other cities](. A majority of Canadians support a COVID-19 public inquiry, a poll has found. [Here’s what we know](. Could a four-day work week work in Canada? [The first-ever pilot program has reported a 100 per cent success rate](. Loblaw is reporting a 31 per cent increase in profits [while shoppers flock to No Frills in search of lower prices](. Kevin Spacey has been cleared of all sexual assault charges. [Here’s what we know about his case](. Do you have “time blindness” or are you just late? [A viral TikTok about workplace accommodations for being tardy is sparking outrage](. Are aliens real? [A Pentagon whistleblower said the U.S. is concealing a “multi-decade” UFO recovery program](. POV Zain Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images [Canada’s feeble response has given Israel the green light to annex the West Bank](. CLOSE-UP James Worsfold/The Canadian Press FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: Adriana Leon of Canada celebrates her second half goal against Ireland during their Group B match at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Perth, Australia on Wednesday. [Here’s how Canada played and what’s next for the team](. 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_192927). 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. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](