Canada changes its position on the Israel-Hamas war

Plus, the Soleiman Faqiri inquest and a Toronto lawyer's discipline hearing [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the calls for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the inquest into Soleiman Faqiri’s death and a Toronto lawyer’s disciple hearing. DON’T MISS Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Israel-hamas war [Canada supports the UN resolution calling for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire]( Canada on Tuesday changed its formal position — and past practice of voting with the U.S. and Israel — by voting in favour of a UN resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, Stephanie Levitz and Mark Ramzy report. The non-binding resolution was supported by 153 countries, demonstrating deteriorating international support for Israel’s war effort, while 10 countries voted against the resolution and 23 abstained. [Here’s how — and why — Ottawa is changing its approach](. - Word from the U.S.: “Right now (Israel) has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world supporting it,” President Joe Biden said earlier in the day. “But they’re starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place.” - Meanwhile in Gaza: [Amid packed hospitals, treacherous roads and harried parents, newborns face steeper odds of survival](. - More: [Nine Israeli soldiers died in an ambush in Gaza City]( where battles rage weeks into the devastating offensive Coroner's Office/Supplied Photo courts [Soleiman Faqiri’s jailhouse death was a homicide, a jury finds]( Seven years after Soleiman Faqiri died in a segregation cell in Lindsay, Ont. — and his family spearheaded a campaign for justice — a coroner’s inquest has found his death was a homicide, Mahdis Habibinia reports. Faqiri had schizophrenia and was experiencing a psychiatric emergency. He spent 11 days in segregation awaiting a mental-health assessment that never happened and was not taken to the local hospital. On Dec. 15, 2016, the 30-year-old died after a “Code Blue” sent dozens of officers into his cell. He was pepper sprayed, beaten, restrained and covered with a spit hood. [These are the recommendations the jury made to prevent similar tragedies](. - Word from the family: “There is no longer any doubt left that my brother was killed by correctional officers at the Central East Correctional Centre,” Yusuf Faqiri said. - Watch for: Although there have been three criminal investigations into Faqiri’s death, no one has ever been charged, and the new finding does not automatically mean someone will be charged. Juries at coroner’s inquests are prohibited from making any finding of legal responsibility, but the Ontario Provincial Police could choose to reopen its criminal investigation. R.J. Johnston/The Star courts [A Toronto lawyer faces a discipline hearing over filing that a 14-year-old girl is “not a child” ]( Lawyer Gary McCallum first faced backlash when the Star reported in March 2019 that he stated in a court filing that a 14- or 15-year-old girl is not a child but a “sexually mature young woman.” The Law Society of Ontario then launched an investigation, which led to a discipline hearing on an allegation that he committed professional misconduct. On Tuesday, McCallum acknowledged at the hearing that he didn’t express himself “with sufficient clarity,” Jacques Gallant reports. [Here’s what you need to know about the case](. - Context: McCallum was representing the Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services in a lawsuit brought by a woman alleging she was sexually abused as a child by her foster father in the 1980s while under the care of the children’s aid society’s predecessor organization. The law governing children’s aid societies in Ontario is clear that people under the age of 18 are children. - Word from McCallum: McCallum said he was responding to allegations that the foster father was a pedophile. He said that what he meant to communicate was that pedophiles have a sexual obsession with prepubescent children, and that the plaintiff was not prepubescent when the alleged abuse happened. WHAT ELSE [Trudeau’s Liberals are gaining support at the expense of Poilievre’s Conservatives]( an exclusive poll suggests. Doug Ford will expand booze sales in 2026, sources say. [Here’s where you’ll be able to buy beer and wine](. The Liberals are reviving a WWII plan to ease the housing crisis. [Here’s what that means](. [Who says we need to choose between Palestinians and Israelis?]( Days before two Toronto boys’ suspicious deaths, [their mom posted a fundraiser about her husband’s cancer death](. [The Crown says the “evidence is overwhelming,”]( as the trial closes in the assassination of a Toronto mob boss. This Calgary TV reporter hit back at emails that body shamed her — [and has inspired women everywhere](. This GTA Catholic board [voted against allowing Christian Orthodox students in elementary schools](. Open bidding — allowing home buyers to see competing bids — has arrived in Ontario. [But will anyone actually use it?]( As pre-construction appraisals fall short, [here’s why Toronto is seeing more “vendor take-back” mortgages](. POV Canadian Press/Jason Franson [Danielle Smith badly overestimated Albertans’ support for her pension plan.]( CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/The Star MISSISSAUGA: Protest groups bring hundreds of workers from across the GTA to picket the manufacturing plant Pratt & Whitney Canada on Tuesday, blocking the arrival of the morning shift. They say the company manufactures weapons for the Israeli army. 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_205360). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. 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](