World Headlines: Recycling in Canada is literally trash

First Up

By Andrew Joe Potter

Good morning. Here's a modest proposal: let's give this Queen's University course on Taylor Swift a chance. Why would our own time's art be unworthy of study? Here’s the latest.

MUST READS

Staff Photographer/Toronto Star

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Will new recycling measures stymie our plastic tsunami?

Containers you've been diligently scraping out for years are very unlikely to ever be truly recycled. As Richard Warnica reports, most plastics put in our blue bins end up in landfills or burned for fuel. The Ford government has approved a complete overhaul of Ontario's curbside regime and Ottawa is promising new regulations Canada-wide. Is a sea change in plastics recycling actually within reach?

Justin Tang/Toronto Star

BUSINESS

Is Rogers' arrogance to blame for its messy, still-pending Shaw merger?

The $26-billion merger of telecom titans Rogers and Shaw seemed to be in the bag — at least from Rogers’ point of view. As Christine Dobby reports, new filings seem to indicate the company’s arrogance and its failure to account for major anti-competition concerns in the wireless space are the root cause of the current impasse. Here's why that's likely great news for one of Rogers’ chief rivals.

Tom Gralish/TNS

U.S. POLITICS

How abortion is reshaping the politics of elections across the U.S.

Since the draft of a forthcoming Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade leaked, Republican primary debates have focused on abortion above all else. Each candidate is jockeying to prove that they are even more conservative than the next, Edward Keenan writes. In Washington, Democrats hope the issue drives generations of women to the polls.

File Photos

ONTARIO VOTES

Can Doug Ford's nephew topple the NDP incumbent in a once-Liberal stronghold?

NDP candidate Faisal Hassan is heading for the fight of his political life in the west Toronto riding of York South—Weston. The riding's been represented by Liberals for nearly the entirety of its existence and Hassan is also facing something of a star challenger in city councillor Michael Ford — yes, Doug’s nephew. Josh Rubin breaks down the key battleground riding.

Julia Romano

SOCIAL MEDIA

On TikTok, Jules is "famous" (at least by her own account)

Yes, Julia Romano is the sister of Blue Jays relief ace Jordan Romano. As Alessia Passafiume notes, however, to many Jordan is merely the brother of "@julesthelawyer." Julia, whose following on social media platform TikTok far exceeds the capacity of the Rogers Centre, pokes fun at the notion of celebrity in her tongue-in-cheek viral videos. Not bad for a side-project from a Bay Street lawyer.

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: Unless something switches soon, Ford appears headed for re-election. Aren't voters hungry for change?

Bruce Arthur: You can be outraged by the group that harassed Jagmeet Singh. Just don't be shocked they exist.

David Olive: The Bank of Canada's post-pandemic moves haven't been perfect but armchair critics should stick to football.

Navneet Alang: Google's latest product previews recall a time when technology could still conjure wide-eyed wonder.

Shireen Salti: For Palestinians, the spirit and legacy of highly respected journalist Shireen Abu Akleh will live on.

Thomas Walkom: Right-wing candidates claimed victory in South Korea and the Philippines. Here’s what that means.

READ THIS

R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star

Although Toronto's current cost-of-living issues are systemic, Star food reporter Karon Liu has a few useful Band-Aid tips to help you stretch your dollar at the grocery store, starting with how to properly store your produce.

Thanks for reading. If you're concerned that a critical analysis of Taylor Swift lyrics is a sign that Canada is headed for ruin, I invite you to reread the story on how nearly all of our plastics are ending up somewhere other than a recycling plant. You can reach the First Up team 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.