The Doug Ford government is moving to shield politicians from scrutiny. Here are secrets the new law would have kept under wraps The Star has for decades used freedom of information legislation to hold governments to account.

via @emmamci.bsky.social www.thestar.com/news/ontario...

The Doug Ford government is moving to shield politicians from scrutiny. Here are secrets the new law would have kept under wraps The Star has for decades used freedom of information legislation to hold governments to account.

The Doug Ford government is moving to shield politicians from scrutiny. Here are secrets the new law would have kept under wraps

Experts tell us the crackdown doesn't go far enough. Fintrac says it will be taking more action in the days ahead.

Gift link to our follow-up story below 🔓🎁
www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?...

An update to the story below: Canada’s anti-money laundering watchdog, Fintrac, has embarked on an enforcement sweep following our reporting, revoking the registrations of nearly three dozen cryptocurrency businesses.

🧵: Ontario's proposed FOI changes will likely kill a court order relating to Doug Ford's personal cellphone.

They'll also probably end a high-stakes battle involving a former chief of staff and their potential use of personal emails during the Greenbelt. #ONPoli

Documents reveal Ontario's $7M Ring of Fire ad bill These ads are pushing the controversial mega-project through a campaign it has dubbed “Protect Ontario,” which Canada’s National Observer has learned is earmarked with a budget of more than $7 million...

In January, I used documents I received from an FOI to report this story, which revealed how much the province was spending on its Ring of Fire ad campaign. One budget line lists nearly $60,000 for “additional costs as a result of eliminating shoe scene from TV spot.” 🧵

Emails challenge Ontario’s narrative on Greenbelt | The Narwhal One member of Doug Ford's staff discussed Greenbelt changes months before the premier's timeline. Another breached a reporter's privacy

Information revealed through FOI-based reporting has led to investigations, resignations, and more within the Ford government. The reporting @emmamci.bsky.social and others did on the Greenbelt, for example. 🧵

Ford targets Ontario law that exposed his government's worst scandals The Greenbelt scandal, the Skills Development controversy and more were all revealed through freedom of information requests.

The Ontario government wants to rewrite the law that compelled it to disclose documents revealing the Greenbelt land scandal, the Skills Development Fund controversy and others. For @nationalobserver.com 🧵

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them? FINTRAC says it rigorously polices the money services sector, has issued more than $200 million in fines, and is monitoring crypto activity.

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them? #StarInvestigation

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Experts say our findings amplify troubling questions already being asked about Canada's oversight of crypto businesses.

Gift link here 🎁🔓
www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?...

This story relied on blockchain data from Crystal Intelligence, which allowed us to take an in-depth look at crypto wallets associated with two Yonge Street shops.

We found transactions showing alleged connections to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and a Houthi financier.

ICYMI, an investigation by @sheilawang.bsky.social, me and @icij.org has found more than 30 unauthorized crypto-to-cash shops on Yonge Street in the Greater Toronto Area, openly flouting the law.

We also found alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups.

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them? FINTRAC says it rigorously polices the money services sector, has issued more than $200 million in fines, and is monitoring crypto activity.

Suspicious transactions at GTA crypto shops reveal alleged links to Iran-backed terror groups. Is the regulator doing enough to police them?

Latest investigation from @sheilawang.bsky.social and me, with
help from our friends at @icij.org
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Translated lede:

"Doug Ford justified the mandatory return of public servants to the office by saying that in-person work increased productivity. But the department responsible for the measure disagrees, reveals a document obtained by Le Droit under the Access to Information Act."

#OnPoli

A GPS tracker. Attempted insurance fraud. Alarming new allegations emerge in the Toronto police corruption scandal One cop arrested in Project South is accused of helping an associate install a GPS tracker on a woman's vehicle so she could be followed.

From the Star’s Jennifer Pagliaro, @fxplante.bsky.social and me:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Inside the Far-Right Push to Influence Canadian Political Parties | The Tyee A conference call shows a political operative with past Conservative connections advising several white nationalist groups.

A former OneBC staffer previously participated in a Spaces call with the leaders of white nationalist/"Canadian nationalist" organizations.

They talked about deporting 10 million people and joked about throwing "millions of Punjabis" into the sea. 1/3 thetyee.ca/News/2026/02...

icymi from me: the Greenbelt scandal rages on for one developer who has filed a new lawsuit against Ontario.

"I know that people don’t necessarily, in a lot of cases, sympathize with land developers. I get that. But this could be anything," the company's lawyer said. www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Developer advances Greenbelt lawsuit, seeking $300M from Ontario government | Globalnews.ca Minotar Holdings, a development company that owns roughly 210 acres of land in Markham, recently filed a fresh statement of claim against the provincial government.

NEW: An Ontario developer is seeking compensation from the Ford government over how it handled the Greenbelt reversal. Their lawyer says the ordeal sets a dangerous precedent for anyone entering into a contract with the province. #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1159350...

City investigating after contractor drives tractor with snowplow through Palestinian protest Videos show a tractor with a snowplow attached driving through a crowd on the sidewalk in front of the U.S. consulate on Tuesday evening.

City investigating after contractor drives tractor with snowplow through Palestinian protest

The trail had gone cold for millions in stolen crypto. Then came the ‘aha!’ moment that unlocked the mystery Bitcoin taken from Canadians ended up in crypto wallets controlled by ‘a hidden company.’ The fight to recoup the funds is far from over.

Kyrrex controlled #crypto wallets that contained funds originally stolen from victims across the globe: a Canadian farmer, a Belgian scientist, a Danish politician...

From @emmamci.bsky.social and me in collab with @icij.org

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.

"Every media era gets the fabulists it deserves." Brilliant essay/investigation by @nickhunebrown.bsky.social into journalism scammers in the age of AI.
thelocal.to/investigatin...

The lies Danielle Smith is telling to overturn trans kids’ rights | Xtra Magazine The Alberta government is invoking the Notwithstanding Clause to protect its three anti-trans laws from being challenged in the courts

My story on this and a whole lot more 💫

xtramagazine.com/power/politi...

Saving my earnestness for bluesky, but the ICIJ's Panama Papers investigation was a big influence on me early in my career and a big part of why I've done so much collaborative journalism. So it was really cool to finally work on an ICIJ story all these years later :~)

This story is part of the Coin Laundry, an investigation led by the ICIJ. A massive effort from 38 media outlets in 35 countries. Check out the full package here -- so many wild stories and more to come: bsky.app/profile/icij...

Inside Canada’s shadowy crypto banking system that makes it easy to facilitate ‘an unlimited amount of crime’ Reporters went undercover to expose a growing crypto-to-cash industry that is openly flouting anti-money laundering measures.

New from @sheilawang.bsky.social + me, with @icij.org, @lapresse.ca + @cbcradiocanada.bsky.social. A surge of unregistered firms are allowing Toronto crypto users to anonymously cash out big sums in violation of anti-money laundering law. Sheila tested it undercover:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Inside Canada’s shadowy crypto banking system that makes it easy to facilitate ‘an unlimited amount of crime’ Reporters went undercover to expose a growing crypto-to-cash industry that is openly flouting anti-money laundering measures.

Inside Canada’s shadowy crypto banking system that makes it easy to facilitate ‘an unlimited amount of crime’ #Star/ICIJinvestigation

Thanks Jimmy!!

psssst also if you're hitting the paywall, the Star's work is available for free through the Toronto Public Library! this work is not free to produce, so thank you to the many readers who support our work and make reporting like this possible

A ‘jaw-dropper’ poll showed surging support for an Alberta separatist party. Turns out the polling firm and the party weren’t so separate The Alberta Republican Party leader previously had an ownership stake in the same polling company that reported support for his new party was surging.

Polling is a political world -- but when it comes to pollster connections with parties, how close is too close? And what kind of vetting and disclosure should media and polling aggregators be doing before publishing their results?
www.thestar.com/news/investi...