Ford targets NDP strongholds — and it seems to be working

Plus, the "gibberish" legal ploy favoured by COVID deniers, the dark side of a tourism boom and perfecting the "Coastal Grandma" look  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

First Up   By Andrew Joe Potter   Good morning. A host of fan favourites, including Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson, are reportedly leaving "Saturday Night Live" after tonight's show, presumably for bigger opportunities, like dating Kim Kardashian. Here’s the latest.       MUST READS Toronto Star Photo Illustration   Investigation Inside the absurd legal strategy favoured by COVID deniers and conspiracy theorists Litigants are increasingly employing Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Arguments — or "legal gibberish" — to grind court proceedings to a halt, filing nonsensical documents and arguing that the law doesn’t apply to them. Steve Buist takes us inside the tactic, including how an Ontario cop turned to the self-destructive approach to defend himself after embracing COVID-19 conspiracies.   The Canadian Press   CAMPAIGN TRAIL Doug Ford is taking aim at NDP strongholds. Will it pay off? A senior Progressive Conservative insider tells Robert Benzie and Rob Ferguson that Doug Ford's campaign is actively targeting a handful of ridings that have historically been bastions for left-leaning politicians. It seems to be working; the latest projections from The Signal suggest a majority government victory for the Progressive Conservatives. Welcome to the Tories’ Big Blue Collar Machine.   Richard Lautens/Toronto Star   Housing As youth homelessness skyrocketed, here’s how one shelter is helping teens beat the odds The number of minors in Toronto's family and youth shelters nearly doubled in the last year, Victoria Gibson reports. What’s more, there are countless more kids experiencing homelessness who fall outside the public view. Here's how an Etobicoke shelter is helping teens get the education they need to break the cycle.   AP   INVESTING COVID-19 pushed portfolios to new heights. What happens when values crash back to earth? The S&P 500 is down 20 per cent from its early-2022 peak and trending toward benchmarks that point to the arrival of a recession, Jacob Lorinc reports. With cheap debt dried up, global supply chain issues persisting and war in Europe raging, tech titans like Amazon, Tesla and Netflix have seen their share prices tumble. Are Canadian investors in trouble?   Lars Hagberg/Special to the Star   REAL ESTATE How Prince Edward County's booming tourist industry is self-sabotaging Over the past decade, the GTA's foodies have flocked to Prince Edward County to experience the region's farm-to-table ethos, local wines and craft beers. However, finding an affordable place to live has become nearly impossible for the workers needed to keep tourism running, writes Tess Kalinowski. Here's how the county is fighting back against its newfound, big-city housing crisis.         Get a front-row seat this provincial election. As the Ontario election heats up, you need This Week in Politics, featuring exclusive analysis from Queen's Park bureau chief Robert Benzie and columnist Susan Delacourt. Sign up here, and you'll start receiving their insight on what just happened, what it means — and what's coming next.         POV   Martin Regg Cohn: This wasn't the way Andrea Horwath had hoped to go viral. Now, time is running out for the NDP.   Navneet Alang: Netflix squandered its huge lead. The main problem? There's too much content and a lot of it stinks. Gregor Chisholm: These Blue Jays appeared to be built like the 2015 squad — but maybe another year was the better comp.   Althia Raj: Conservatives know tapping into the rage of voters can be risky. Just ask Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Taryn Herlich: I'm a university student. Here's why I support Del Duca's proposal for Grade 13’s return.   Saturday Debate: Does diversity training actually combat inequality or is it a waste of time and money?       WEAR THIS Supplied Even if you've never heard the phrase "Coastal Grandma" you're probably familiar with the look. Think the lead of a Nancy Meyers flick, like Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give." Renée Tse shows us how to cozy up to the latest fashion trend.     Thanks for reading. If you believe my assessment of Pete Davidson's post-SNL career move constitutes libel, please file your Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Arguments at firstup@thestar.ca, and I 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 Become a Star Subscriber View in Browser Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 PRIVACY POLICY