World Headlines: Get it done? How Doug Ford broke the Star's fact checker

First Up

By Manuela Vega

Good morning. Here’s the latest on the verdict on the father and son who killed two Métis hunters, how Doug Ford fared with the Star’s fact checker and an unprecedented exemption for drug possession in B.C.

DON’T MISS

Codie McLachlan for The Star

justice

An Alberta father and son are guilty in the killing of two Métis hunters

On March 27, 2020, Morris Cardinal, 57, and Jacob Sansom, 39 were shot to death on a rural road just north of the village of Glendon in eastern Alberta. Anthony Bilodeau, 33, killed them after his father and teenage brother chased the two hunters in their truck. Anthony has been convicted of second-degree murder in Cardinal’s death and manslaughter in Sansom’s death. His father, Roger, was found guilty of manslaughter in both deaths. Here’s what we know about the case.

Context: Sansom and Cardinal had skinned a moose at a friend’s house when their truck caught Roger’s attention. He chased it, reaching speeds of about 150 km/h, and called Anthony to bring a gun, alleging he believed he had caught thieves.
Go deeper: The case drew comparisons to the death of Colten Boushie, an Indigenous man killed in Saskatchewan in 2016. Gerald Stanley, who shot him, was acquitted of second-degree murder. Both incidents sparked conversation about racism in rural areas.
More: “There will never be justice,” said Sansom’s wife, fighting back tears. “How do you put a time sentence on two lives?”

Bob Tymczyszyn/St. Catharines Standard

provincial election

Doug Ford broke the Star’s fact check

For the past four weeks, Lex Harvey has been fact-checking the provincial party leaders for five days at a time, assessing everything they said publicly. With a significant discrepancy in speaking time and checkable claims compared to other party leaders, Lex found Ford to be lacking in transparency and substance. Here’s the breakdown of Ford’s campaign claims and how he compares to the other leaders.

By the numbers: Ford spoke for only 25 minutes this past week, compared to NDP leader Andrea Horwath’s 130 minutes, Liberal leader Steven Del Duca’s 120 minutes and Green leader Mike Schreiner’s 60 minutes.
More: Ford made vague and uncheckable statements, saying the Progressive Conservatives are the only choice for “getting it done” and that they are “getting the province built.”
Election day: Tomorrow is election day. Here’s everything you need to know about voting.
Interactive: Who is set to win the Ontario election? Here’s what the polls are saying.

Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Controlled substances

B.C. residents won’t be charged for possessing small amounts of drugs

As of January 2023, Canada will exempt adults in British Columbia from criminal charges for possessing up to 2.5 grams of drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA. The unprecedented move — a first in North America — comes after years of advocacy for harm reduction by people who use drugs. Here’s what we know.

Why it matters: B.C. saw more than 9,000 overdose deaths between April 2016 and March 2022. Advocates argue that decriminalization will reduce stigma, prompt fewer people to use drugs alone and help people feel safe seeking help.
Watch for: The exemption will be in place for three years, starting in January.
More: The announcement by federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett came a day before the House votes on an NDP bill to decriminalize drug possession nationwide — which Bennet said she will vote against.
The Star’s take: People are dying from poisoned drugs. Politicians must act to ensure safe supply.

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WHAT ELSE

Ukraine is turning to cryptocurrency to pay for its defence against Russia.

Canada’s ban on handgun sales might be bigger news in the U.S.

A QAnon-believing Congresswoman took aim at Trudeau for handgun control, evoking a conspiracy theory.

The Ontario election campaign is almost over. Are Andrea Horwath and Steven Del Duca finished too?

Ontario’s politicians all tout supply as the fix for the housing crisis. But experts say it’s not that simple.

Rate hikes are cooling Toronto’s real estate market, but some homebuyers feel the chill more than others.

“Hands off Osgoode Hall,” John Tory warns Metrolinx over the proposal to tear up the historic site for a new Ontario Line station.

“You ... thought you were above the law.” Jacob Hoggard’s lawyers were slammed over the late reveal of a secret phone recording.

Not all lab tests are covered by OHIP. Here’s what you need to know.

The feds announced a funding bump for the beleaguered airport security agency.

The Bank of Canada is expected to hike its key interest rate Wednesday as inflation rages.

Here’s why it might be the end of the road for Taste of the Danforth.

POV

Michael Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP

Amber Heard’s public roasting reveals harmful views about intimate partner violence.

CLOSE-UP

Canadian Press/Justin Tang

OTTAWA: A kayaker paddles among the trees and vegetation in the waters at Britannia Bay in Ottawa, on Tuesday.

Thank you for reading, and happy Pride Month. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.

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