What Pierre Poilievre said he’d do as prime minister then

Plus, a judge revisits his leniency with a Toronto rapper and how Paris transformed its tourist sites into Olympic venues [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning, and sorry for today’s late edition. Here’s the latest on Pierre Poilievre’s early views on governance, a judge’s leniency with a Toronto rapper and how Paris is transforming its iconic sites ahead of the Olympics. DON’T MISS Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press Federal Politics [Pierre Poilievre was 20 when he wrote about what he would do as prime minister. Here’s what he said then and what he says now]( Twenty-five years before Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre found himself on the path to power, his party now leading in the polls, his 20-year-old self partook in the “As prime minister, I would” contest in 1999. It offered the earliest glimpse into his thoughts on governance, the economy and how the country should be run. Close contemporaries often stress that Poilievre has believed the same things for years, Stephanie Levitz reports. [With an election a year away, take a peek into the governing philosophy that’s moulded his political career](. - In his own words: “As prime minister, I would relinquish to citizens as much of my social, political, and economic control as possible, leaving people to cultivate their own personal prosperity and to govern their own affairs as directly as possible.” - Linda McQuaig’s take: Should he take power, Poilievre recently forecasted funding cuts on “anything other than the core services of roads, bridges, police, military, border security and a safety net for those who can’t provide for themselves.” [But a Canadian government supplying only “core services” would mean cutbacks that hurt working peopl](. - By the numbers: Recent polling puts Poilievre’s party at a 17-point lead over Justin Trudeau’s Liberals — despite the fact a third of Canadians can’t put a name to his face. [Here’s why experts say that’s not actually a problem for the Conservative](. Spotify crime [A judge stuck his neck out for this Toronto rapper. Did he rob a jewelry store just days later?]( Last fall, Superior Court Justice Michael Code opted for leniency. Christian Collins, a Toronto man with a lengthy criminal record, had pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking and possessing a loaded firearm, Betsy Powell reports. Instead of locking him up, Code granted Collins a conditional sentence of nearly two years and ordered the 29-year-old to live under house arrest. But just days after his sentence started, Collins was implicated in the armed robbery of $6.5 million in luxury watches. [How was this allowed to happen?]( - More: In a remarkable hearing Friday, Code admitted he was convinced Collins had “given up his previous life of crime.” He has since been ordered to spend the rest of his conditional sentence behind bars. - Background: Despite his criminal background, Code was swayed by Collins’ embrace of fatherhood, his burgeoning music career as rapper Da Crook and the many letters testifying to his character from Collins’ partner and others. Ditimar Dilkoff/Toronto Star OLYMPICS [How Paris transformed some of the world’s most iconic tourist sites into Olympic venues]( With the Olympics kicking off Friday, Paris’ most iconic landmarks have been transformed into playgrounds for the world’s top athletes. “Each time that I go on a site, it strikes me that I have the Eiffel Tower in front of me,” Canadian Canadian Brigitte Légaré, who is organizing some of the events, told the Star’s Allan Woods. “We have brought the Games a little closer to the average person by deciding to use the most spectacular monuments in Paris to do so, and I think it’s really worked out.” [Take a sneak peek at the glamorous venues in the city’s most iconic locations](. - Background: [Instead of building out mega-stadiums]( as has become the status quo in modern Olympics, temporary venues accentuating Paris’ rich history and heritage provide a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective means of hosting the Games. - Rosie DiManno's take: Terrorists. Bad actors. Suicide bombers. All must be taken into account as potential disruptors and pre-emptively stopped. [Here’s how the tens of thousands of police officers, soldiers and foreign reinforcements in Paris’ streets will ensure it happens](. - What we know: Ready to cheer on Team Canada? Check out [this list of all the Canadian athletes taking part in the Games](. WHAT ELSE Bank of Canada likely to cut rates Wednesday — [and economists predict more cuts to come](. Ontario’s cottage market is “very quiet” despite rate cut, [stoking fears of a double-digit price drop](. [The sexual assault charge against megachurch pastor]( Bruxy Cavey has been stayed over delays. A North York community seeking answers [after a “quiet” couple was found stabbed](. Peel police [will announce results of their “Project Warlock”]( home invasion, carjacking investigations. “A selfless woman who lived her life for others”: [Regent Park is mourning a pregnant mother of three after she was hit at a crosswalk](. [Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump]( A look at the potential presidential tale of the tape. Harris has most of the delegates she needs for the nomination, [and set a new fundraising record](. A Costco Kirkland brand is among vitamins recalled over risk of metal fibres. [Here’s what else you need to know](. Instagram and Facebook banned news — [but some accounts are exploiting a “terrible” loophole](. Is Kamala Harris a “brat”? Charli XCX says yes. Many of her fans say no. [Inside the debate roiling social media](. [This $3.6-million “downtown Toronto gem”]( with a laneway suite was renovated with a modern family in mind. POV Rob Gurdebeke/The Canadian Press [Whether it’s President Harris or President Trump, Canada will have an uphill battle after the U.S. election.]( CLOSE-UP Nick Lachance/Toronto Star BRAMPTON: A man vents his frustration at an LCBO store mistakenly listed as open on Google Maps yesterday. The liquor retailers are reopening today after an 18-day strike, [a mass job action Premier Doug Ford says could have been avoided](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and 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_217048). I’ll 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. 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