This summer has broken and re-broken heat records

Plus, the thought process behind the cabinet shuffle and a condo’s EV charging stations [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on this summer’s record-breaking heat, Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle and electrical vehicle charging. DON’T MISS AFP/Getty Images CLIMATE CRISIS [Our brief, beloved summer feels apocalyptic this year]( Forest fires, floods and heat waves have made this a punishing summer, Kate Allen writes. Scientists say July is “virtually certain” to be the hottest month on record for the planet, and people who had long been shielded from its effects are feeling the impact. Summer experiences that Canadians wait all year for, like camp days, weekend paddles, a triathlon, have been cancelled. Far worse, lives have been lost — those of firefighters and the children and adult in the Nova Scotia floods, for instance. [Take a look at the climate records this season has broken and re-broken](. - The culprit: “The extreme weather which has affected many millions of people in July is unfortunately the harsh reality of climate change and a foretaste of the future,” the World Meteorological Organization’s secretary-general, Petteri Taalas, said in a statement. - A word of advice: “Get out into nature to experience nature,” said one ecology and environmental policy expert. “You’re going to fall in love with nature, and once you fall in love with nature, you’re going to be much more motivated to actually fight to protect nature, to support the policies that will protect and restore ecosystems.” Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press FEDERAL POLITICS [Justin Trudeau raised eyebrows when he shuffled this high-profile minister]( Why did the prime minister move Anita Anand from her high-profile job as defence minister? The Oakville MP had been tasked with improving the military’s internal culture and positioning Canada during a European war, Alex Ballingall and Tonda MacCharles report. Now, she will be the president of the Treasury Board. While some observers have questioned the move, Trudeau has said he sees the role as a “core part of his economic team.” [Here’s why Anand appears to be relishing her new title and what she plans to do](. - More: Three Trudeau ministers are already facing scrutiny in their new cabinet roles. [Take a look at their politically charged portfolios](. - David Olive’s take: An unpopular Justin Trudeau clings to an activist agenda. [But can the PM sell it to weary Canadians]( - Thomas Walkom’s take: With Freeland remaining finance minister, [the cabinet shuffle is just more of the same](. Lance McMillan/Toronto Star GREEN TECH [This Toronto condo shows how to get EV chargers installed inexpensively for residents]( Electric vehicles — powered by clean, nearly carbon-free electricity — are key in the fight against climate change, Marco Chown Oved writes. And while the Condo Act requires owners to be allowed to install EV chargers, getting them into buildings can be challenging due to infrastructure costs and because not too many people have EVs yet. But one building on Merton Street, near Davisville Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road, found a solution that has proven popular. [Here’s how the condo sold its residents on buying EV chargers and saved money doing it](. - More: The original cost to install substations throughout the parking lot landed at roughly $400,000, which couldn’t be paid out of the reserve fund. The condo board found a way to keep costs for individual chargers below $3,000 with a grant. - Interactive: Use our climate calculator to see [how much you could save from electrifying your home and car](. WHAT ELSE A whistleblower derailed Patrick Brown’s leadership dream. [A paper trail reveals who hired her](. [Sinead O’Connor was tough as nails, fearless in her vulnerability and punk as hell]( writes Ben Rayner. The Liberals have dealt a double blow to Doug Ford with [byelection wins in Toronto and the Ottawa area](. The Scarborough RT will be closed for at least three weeks after a car derailed. [Here’s what commuters are dealing with](. The Law Society has another chance to disbar a [GTA lawyer convicted of child porn possession](. [Why Doug Ford auditing Toronto’s finances again just doesn’t add up](. The City has expanded its discount program for low-income TTC riders — [but a lack of funds means it won’t be as far-reaching as intended](. Can you get a lower TTC fare? [This is the new group of eligible Toronto adults](. [The TDSB has launched an investigation in the wake of a former principal’s suicide](. The city has received 362 complaints about election signs. [This candidate’s campaign generated the most](. A man in his 60s has died after a daytime stabbing in Leslieville. [Here’s what we know](. Here’s how “Barbie” actor [Simu Liu has addressed an awkward red carpet moment with co-star Ryan Gosling](. POV Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star [A Toronto principal’s suicide was wrongly linked to anti-racism training. Here’s what was really said](. CLOSE-UP Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP via Getty Images WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: Canada’s 16-year-old Summer McIntosh races to a gold medal in the final of the women’s 200-metre butterfly event in Fukuoka, Japan, on Thursday. [Here’s what you need to know about her remarkable win](. 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_193058). 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](