The chef who feeds Canadian democracy

Plus, Ontario’s paramedic pickle, five biz leaders to watch and remembering Harry Rosen [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning and happy Boxing Day. A reminder to hockey fans (and those who will ambivalently wander into the living room at some point this morning) that Canada’s World Junior Championship schedule begins today. First up is an 8:30 a.m. clash against Finland. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star emergency medicine [Inside your local emergency department, where lengthy ambulance delays jeopardize the acutely ill]( When Mary Jean Ricci’s 102-year-old mother suffered a hard hit to the head in a fall, she was promptly whisked via ambulance to the local hospital — where she remained laying on the paramedics’ stretcher for more than eight hours. This is the state of ambulance offload times across Ontario’s urban centres, where delays well past the 30-minute target goal can create deadly knock-on effects, Megan Ogilvie and Kenyon Wallace report. [This is what might happen the next time you call 9-1-1](. Blair Gable for The Star ottawa [As elected officials balance the budget, Parliament Hill’s longtime head chef simply wants to balance their diets]( After 32 years as head chef at the House of Commons, the two things you won’t find in Judson Simpson’s kitchen are parsnips or politics. You’ll find just about anything else as the certified master chef and his team of 60 attend to stocking seven Parliament Hill cafeterias, a gourmet market, a daycare and an exclusive West Block restaurant, plus catering routine and special events, Raisa Patel writes. [Join us inside Chef Simpson’s kitchen, where Canadian democracy is literally fuelled](. R.J. Johnston/The Star dundas debate [Toronto’s has a long history of changing the names of streets and public sites — just don’t skip democracy]( Dundas Street as we know it today wasn’t always called that. In fact, Shawn Micallef reminds us that until 15 different streets were cobbled together to stretch the thoroughfare all the way east to Kingston Road, the original Dundas Street veered south at Ossington, terminating at Queen Street. As with other recent renaming controversies, [the real sin of ditching the Yonge-Dundas Square branding is the absence of democratic process behind the decision](. Sanjit Das/Bloomberg file photo business [As Canada’s economy rebounds, keep on eye on these five business leaders]( Inflation is falling and the expectation is that interest rates will follow suit, establishing 2024 as a critical year across the Canadian business landscape. From towering Bay Street banks to national retail chains, there’s a lot at stake. If you’re looking to track the success of our country’s economy in microcosm, David Olive writes to [look no further than these five leaders, representing a wide swath of industries and objectives](. Canadian Press/Frank Gunn sports [What’s in store for Canada’s World Juniors standouts? Just ask the stars of yesteryear]( With Canada’s World Junior Championship schedule getting under way in Sweden this morning, all eyes will be on the future of hockey. That includes some famous team alums. “Everyone dreams of playing there when you’re a kid,” Sidney Crosby tells Kevin McGran. “So to see these guys get the opportunity to do that, it’s awesome to see and it’s always fun to watch.” [Here’s what the kids should expect from the annual post-Christmas hockey tradition](. UP CLOSE Andrew Francis Wallave/The Star Canadian menswear titan Harry Rosen has died at age 92, Betsy Powell reports. From humble beginnings at his small Cabbagetown store to building the eponymous retail empire, [read about the colourful, richly textured life Rosen wove](. watch THIS Toronto Star illustration/HBO/Netflix/Dreamstime Sure, you could venture outside and try to power-walk away that third helping of mashed potatoes you had over the weekend... [or you could sit down on the couch and begin your deep-dive into Debra Yeo’s list of the best television shows of 2023](. Thanks for reading. 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_206111), and Manuela will 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]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](