Is Trudeau the problem or the solution?

Plus, a high-stakes municipal byelection and Peter Nygard's sentencing [The Star] First Up [By Andy Takagi] By Andy Takagi Good morning. Here’s the latest on Justin Trudeau’s preparations for the next election, a Toronto byelection drawing in big names and sentencing of a disgraced fashion mogul. DON’T MISS Canadian Press/Kelly Clark federal politics [Justin Trudeau is getting ready for the fight ahead]( There’s no changing course now; Justin Trudeau is determined to stay at the wheel of the Liberal party, dozens of insiders told Tonda MacCharles. As his party heads into this week’s national caucus retreat in Nanaimo, the torn-up NDP-Liberal deal has only “emboldened” the PM, who believes there’s a path to victory for his party. [Here’s a quick temperature check following a rocky week for the party](. - Beware the Bloc: While the PM prepares his party, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is licking his chops, ready to help support the Liberals — [for a price](. - Carney-val: Trudeau called in the big guns for his caucus retreat, recruiting former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, [who has been tapped to draw up an “economic productivity plan.”]( Susan Kao/Toronto Star Illustration toronto politics [Looking behind the scenes at an attempt to unite against the right]( An empty city council seat in Don Valley West is attracting some big names. Former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne confirmed to Ben Spurr that she has spoken with candidates to help rally against right-wing pundit Anthony Furey winning a municipal byelection. Furey has in turn sought out John Tory’s endorsement. It’s an unusual level of jockeying for city politics — [here’s why it’s happening](. - An open seat: Ward 15 was left without a representative [after long-time councillor Jaye Robinson died in May](. The byelection to fill her spot is slated for Nov. 4. - Furey who? [The former Toronto Sun columnist and former mayoral candidate]( has faced accusations of Islamophobia over his columns about the threat of what he called “political Islam,” as well as criticism for his ties to anti-trans activists. Cole Burston/AFP via Getty Images courts [Peter Nygard will be sentenced for sexual assault today]( The disgraced fashion mogul will be sentenced on four convictions of sexual assault today. The Crown is urging the judge to sentence Nygard to 15 years in prison and make him pay restitution, while Nygard’s defence lawyer is asking for six years. The 83-year-old was convicted last November for attacking three women and a 16-year-old girl between the 1980s and 2005. [Here’s when to expect the sentence to drop](. - From the victims: Nygard’s victims, whose identities are protected by a publication ban, [described in court the lasting pain and trauma caused by the sexual assaults](. - Not the end: Nygard still faces sexual assault charges in Montreal, Winnipeg and New York.  WHAT ELSE The Trudeau government is planning a $7 million [ad campaign to promote its carbon pricing and rebates](. Now that the dust is settling, [who was the biggest loser in the Liberal-NDP breakup?]( I cover the far right for a living. [This is why I wasn’t surprised to find Canadians in an alleged Russian propaganda scheme](. University textbooks have long been a big expense. [Can the move to digital save money and help students learn?]( Toronto-area strip malls are foodie havens. [This project is helping them become places for people, not just cars](. Car prices are finally starting to fall. [Here’s how to make the most of a buyer’s market](. A Toronto woman has been [charged with assaulting a police officer at a downtown protest](. Can you afford the high cost of late-in-life care? [We crunched the numbers for you](. Looking to sell your house? [Check the fine print before signing with a real estate agent](. [France waves farewell to its sporting summer]( at the Paralympics closing ceremony. How does the TIFF flick “Nightbitch” handle the book’s nudity and gore? [There’s less of it, but that doesn’t neuter the tale](. Raptors mailbag: [How Scottie Barnes can take a leap this season and debunking a Christian Koloko return](. POV Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick [The Liberals are facing a palpable appetite for change, but their path forward is unclear.]( CLOSE-UP Lance McMillan/The Star NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE: We love to hate on Toronto, but is it really as bad as we think it is? After all, the city got nearly a million visitors in July. Ben Cohen went out on a sunny afternoon and asked some tourists what they liked and didn’t like about Toronto. [Here’s what they said]( 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_1845). 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](