Canada's Olympic gold rush has begun

Plus, the worrying rise of for-profit health care and probing the airline industry [The Star] First Up [By Kevin Jiang] By Kevin Jiang Good morning. Here’s the latest on Team Canada raking in the Olympic hardware, for-profit health care creeping across the nation and a probe into Canada’s airline industry. DON’T MISS Alex Pantling/Getty Images olympics [Judoka Christa Deguchi clinched Canada’s first gold at the Paris Olympics]( Meet Christa Deguchi, the 28-year-old phenom who gripped, locked and ankle-hooked her way to Canada’s very first gold in judo, Rosie DiManno writes — the country’s first gold at the Paris Olympics, too. That’s despite a hissing and hollering French crowd, who heckled as she came out on top against France’s Sarah-Léonie Cysique in the semifinals. But Deguchi was unswayed, confronting and toppling the reigning world champion, Korea’s Mi-Mi Huh, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower yesterday. [Here’s what she had to say following her historic win](. - Moments later: Toronto teen Summer McIntosh dominated the women’s 400 individual medley, scoring her first Olympic gold at just 17 years old. [It’s like she was made for this, Bruce Arthur writes](. - What we know: Canada is already raking in the hardware and the Olympics are just getting started. [Check out our running tally of Team Canada’s gold, silver and bronze wins so far](. - Meanwhile on the pitch: Canada’s women’s soccer team weathered a drone-spying scandal, the loss of their head coach and a harsh six-point penalty from FIFA — [and still came out on top against France over the weekend to secure their survival in the Games](. Canadian Press/Chris Young health care [As for-profit health care expands across Canada, doctors are fighting back]( As for-profit practices gradually seep into Canada’s public health care system, a group of doctors from across the nation are stepping up to fight back. The Canadian Medical Association is calling on governments to ensure medically necessary care is based on need, not the ability to pay. “Health care should not privilege those who can afford to pay for services,” one doctor tells Allan Woods. [Privatization is not inevitable; look at the doctors’ recommendations and what they’re fighting for](. - Context: Private clinics and providers are flourishing amid a national health care crisis that’s left some with no option but to pay out of their pockets. - Armine Yalnizyan’s take: In Norway, they have a term for the privatization of care: the tapeworm economy. Like a parasite robbing a body of its nutrients and destroying its organs, the pursuit of profit in health care devours public funding, erodes quality of care and degrades working conditions — [and it’s coming to Ontario](. - ICYMI: In a controversial move to cut wait times, Ontario expanded the powers of certain private clinics to provide CT scans, MRIs, and hip and knee replacements. [But critics fear it’ll only make Ontario’s health care issues worse](. Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck Business [The Competition Bureau launched a new probe into Canada’s airline industry — and this time it’s got teeth]( Amid a rising tide of traveller complaints about the cost and quality of services, Canada’s Competition Bureau is taking a hard look at the nation’s airline industry, Josh Rubin reports. This time, following changes to the federal Competition Act, they’ve come armed with new powers — like the ability to demand documents from companies. “The only two entities who benefit from the current situation are Air Canada and WestJet, not the travelling public,” said Flair Airlines’ interim CEO. [But will the bureau actually use their new powers?]( - Go deeper: The probe will focus on three key issues in the industry: the state of competition, barriers to entry and “impediments to Canadians making informed choices” on air travel. - Why it matters: The bureau’s new abilities could result in a much clearer, more detailed view of anti-competitive behaviour. “This looks like it’s going to be a serious market study,” one expert said. “I don’t know how aggressive they’ll be in using those powers, but we’ll see.” - Speak up: Do you have information or experience the bureau should know about? [The study is taking online submissions until Aug. 31](. [Medal Alerts] Find out fast whenever Canada makes it to the podium. The Star has you covered as athletes go for gold in Paris. Get up-to-the minute email alerts whenever Canada medals, plus other news from the games, with the Star's free Medal Alerts, [brought to you by Havelock Metal Co](. If you're interested, please [sign up here today](. WHAT ELSE As some MPs say they want to see her gone, [Chrystia Freeland insists she has enough support to stay on as finance minister](. Asylum seekers in Canada end up separated from their families for years. [Is there a better way to grant permanent residence?]( Doug Ford may be getting ready for an early election — [but it’s not clear how many ridings Ontario will have](. The Ford government announced [major funding for police helicopters to combat auto theft and carjackings](. As the U.S. warns against escalation, Israel is vowing [heavy retaliation for Hezbollah’s alleged weekend strike](. Joe Biden proposed an enforceable ethics code and term limits for the Supreme Court. [How might they work?]( “You know what women are like.” [An Olympic commentator has been taken off air for his “inappropriate” comments](. Are you approaching the age of needing residential care? [Take a look at your options — and the price tag](. Parking fines are increasing across Toronto this week. [Here’s what you need to know](. Ashley Callingbull has become the [first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada](. Here’s why the John Tavares tax case [means so much to pro athletes in Canada and the United States](. [This Olympic hot spot]( giving the Eiffel Tower and Louvre some competition. POV Canadian Press/Chris Young [Justin Trudeau tried to save journalism. This is why he failed.]( CLOSE-UP Richard Lautens/The Star WOODBINE BEACH: Beachgoers were living their best lives at Woodbine Beach Monday, soaking up the sun and warm weather. It’s shaping up to be a warm week, with a smattering of clouds and possible rain. [Here’s how the forecast is looking](. 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_217448). 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. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](