Ontario’s hallway health care fight remains dire as ever

Plus, get used to high food prices, Poilievre’s Grinch-like threat and murder charges laid in the slaying of two beloved Canadians [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning — and a very happy first night of Hanukkah to those who celebrate. Here’s the latest on a dire audit of the Ford regime, arrests made in the Langlois and Marchand murders and Poilievre threatens to ruin Christmas. DON’T MISS Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star health care [A damning new auditor general report highlights the extent of Ontario’s hallway health care]( Despite Premier Doug Ford’s 2018 pledge to rein in hallway health care, a sprawling new 823-page report from the auditor general suggests little has changed. The annual review found that hospitals and nursing homes continue to face service-altering staffing shortages, thanks in part to the Ford government’s Bill 124; as Rob Ferguson and Kristin Rushowy report, that legislation capped pay raises for nurses and many other public sector workers [at just one per cent annually](. - Good news for: Pricy staffing agencies; hospitals are already over-reliant on temp nurses, the auditor found — and the problem is compounded by the increased competition to retain staff nurses. - Word from the health minister: “We cannot take tools away from our hospital partners,” Sylvia Jones said regarding the possibility of capping nursing agency fees. - Go deeper: Other findings touched on the financial viability of many of Ontario’s university programs, dangers presented by driver’s test loopholes and the incomplete cost breakdown for relocating the Ontario Science Centre to Ontario Place. Coulibri Ridge Resort photo Dominica murders [Two Americans charged for the violent murder of beloved Canadians Langlois and Marchand in Dominica]( Jonathan Scott Lehrer and Robert Snyder Jr. were charged with double murder in the mysterious deaths of French Canadian expats Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand, which allegedly occurred between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2 on Lehrer’s chocolate plantation. As Ronalda Luke reports, the gruesome tragedy has sent shockwaves through the surrounding communities, where Langlois and Marchand were [hailed by locals as “community icons” and “a source of inspiration.]( - Context: Earlier this week, a severely burnt vehicle matching the description of Langlois and Marchand’s was discovered with the unidentifiable remains of two bodies inside. - What we know: The case relies heavily on circumstantial evidence; Langlois and Lehrer had been embroiled in a years-long legal feud over the former’s use of a public road that crossed through the latter’s estate. - Miss something? Before focusing on philanthropy (and building an off-the-grid eco-resort in Dominica) the Quebec-born Langlois founded Softimage, a company that helped create some of the special effects in epics like “Jurassic Park” and “Titanic.” Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press federal politics [Poilievre threatens to “ruin” colleagues’ holidays unless Trudeau expands carbon price exemptions]( MPs hoping for a head start on the holiday rush might want to check their flight transfer fees. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he will grind Parliament to a halt unless Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exempts more Canadians from the carbon price, Stephanie Levitz reports. It’s a hot-button topic for the Conservatives; Poilievre vows to scrap the carbon price if he rises to PM. Still, his critics say any threat of a procedural slowdown is [little more than U.S.-style partisan stagecraft](. - Word from Poilievre: “You've ruined Christmas for Canadians,” the leader of the Official Opposition said Wednesday. “Common-sense Conservatives are going to ruin your vacation as well.” - Wait, what? At Poilievre’s disposal is the ability to propose thousands of legislative amendments or force hundreds of votes on individual government spending plans. - What’s next: The delay tactic won’t amount to much; to force MPs to sit in the House of Commons beyond the scheduled start of their break on Dec. 15, other parties would have to sign off, too. [Cookies] Need a new favourite holiday cookie? Every day till Christmas, Star journalists are taking turns baking recipes from our extensive archives for our new Cookie Calendar newsletter, [brought to you by SickKids Get Better Gifts](. Follow our holiday baking adventures — and get some inspiration for your own — by [signing up for free here](. WHAT ELSE With a Peel reversal reportedly coming, Ford cries “gutter politics” after the NDP cited [his deathbed promise to Hazel McCallion](. The U.N. Secretary-General warns of [an impending “humanitarian catastrophe”]( as the war hits Gaza’s second-largest city. A new Dalhousie study says Canadians should [get used to seeing inflated prices at the grocery store](. Chew on that. Child care may be getting more affordable but finding space is a conundrum. [Here’s how long parents are waiting](. College Street’s Free Times Cafe has been hosting Jewish brunch for almost 30 years — [but that’s not all it’s known for](. Go easy on the aftershave; here’s what to expect from [the “Home Alone” experience at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra](. Canadian NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won a lawsuit related to the [“crypto king” who once owned his Burlington mansion](. With John Klingberg out for the season, [is it time for the Maple Leafs to make a trade to shore up the ailing defence]( If you weren’t convinced by that group of teens pointing and laughing at you, [leggings are, like, so out of fashion now](. Remember the [viral clip of the woman throwing Chipotle in a cashier’s face]( Justice has been served... in tortilla wraps. ICYMI File photos [Bonnie Crombie: Let’s not get distracted and continue with the dissolution of Peel Region](. CLOSE-UP Joshua Chong UNION STATION: About 50 protestors from the Jews Say No to Genocide and Palestinian Youth Movement groups staged a sit-in at the Bay Concourse of the bustling commuter hub during Wednesday’s morning rush, [calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war](. 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_205031). Manuela will return tomorrow to wrap up the work week. HOLIDAY SALE Now only $39.99 for 1 year [Get This Offer]( 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]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](