World Headlines: How one man's fate swung from deportation to permanent residence

First Up

By Ashley Okwuosa

Good morning. Here’s the latest on Justin Trudeau’s winding efforts to tighten gun control, one Toronto man's path from deportation to permanent residence, and the story behind the tight-knit cast of the Toronto stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

MUST READS

Rick Madonik/Toronto Star

IMMIGRATION

How a “miracle” helped spare one Toronto man from deportation

After legally working in Canada for over 20 years, Mohammad Alam ran afoul of the Canada Border Services Agency for a missed check-in. Last month, two attempts to deport him were cancelled, one after testing positive for COVID-19 and another after the Star published a story on him. In a surprising turn of events, Nicholas Keung reports that Alam has been offered a path to permanent residence. “We had been praying for a miracle and our prayers were answered,” said Alam’s son, Shahed. Read the latest update on the family here.

Evan Zimmerman

HARRY POTTER

When COVID halted the play, this stage family became a real one

COVID-19 put the Toronto stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on hold, so its cast started a digital group chat to share their pandemic experiences. Over the course of two years, it brought them closer together than they ever thought possible. “Genuinely the whole company already feels like a family,” said one cast member to Karen Fricker. Now that rehearsals for the production are finally underway and opening night approaches, here is their story.

Toronto Star Staff/Toronto Star

FINANCE

TD is using metrics to measure racial equity. How will it work?

There’s still room for improvement in Canada’s banking industry, especially in the C-Suite. Just 10 per cent of top executive roles in Canada’s six biggest banks and two large life insurers were held by visible minorities in 2020. TD Bank’s president of diversity and inclusion, Diana Lee, tells Brennan Doherty about how the bank is measuring inclusion and why representation is only the beginning.

Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press

FEDERAL POLITICS

How hard could it be to tighten gun control in Canada?

Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new gun regulations that would freeze handgun sales and introduce a buyback program for assault-style weapons — but Liberals have been trying to unwind gun control policy for years now. One in particular that gave cabinet final say on how guns should be classified and which types should be banned. Tonda MacCharles breaks down the Liberals’ gun control efforts over the years.

PhotoDesk Email

CLIMATE CRISIS

Rest, recovery, and resistance. How climate activists are battling burnout

Climate activism is a “long game,” says Alicia Richins, a volunteer and climate consultant. To avoid burnout and eco-grief, activists in the GTHA are creating a fellowship to prioritize rest, recovery, and resistance, reports Megan Robinson. Read more about how climate activists are getting back to nature to avoid burnout.

POV

Vinay Menon: Thursday’s January 6 committee hearing was television at its best and Trump’s worst nightmare.

Susan Delacourt: During his U.S. trip, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received glowing reviews but no man is a hero in his own country.

Martin Regg Cohn: In Ontario, the Liberals and New Democrats are two ambitious but rudderless parties adrift.

Jerry Levitan: In his own words, Ontario Liberal candidate for Davenport Jerry Levitan describes how “things are not well here in Toronto, or anywhere — and they are getting worse.”

James Boothroyd: Should Dr. Tim Takaro serve jail time for protesting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion?

The Saturday Debate: Are Doug Ford and a Progressive Conservative dynasty built to last in Ontario or is it too early to tell?

PLAN THIS

Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images

June is Pride Month, and while Toronto’s annual festival’s big weekend bash is set for June 24 to 26, Wing Sze Tang has listed other Pride celebrations happening in cities of all sizes across Canada.

Thanks for reading. You can reach the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca, and I will see you back here tomorrow.

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