It’s Friday, June 12. Here are the top stories we’re following today.
Michael Higgins: Did ignoring warnings about terrorism lead to police officer’s death?
The shooting death of Toronto Const. Marc Pinizzotto during the execution of a search warrant on Thursday has been linked to a shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto in March and an FBI terrorism investigation. Higgins writes that there are indications Pinizzotto’s death is connected to unprecedented antisemitism in Canada. “The hatred on the street is targeting Jews. The extremists and the terrorists are after Jews. But that doesn’t mean other Canadians will not be caught in the gunfire,” he notes.
Toronto’s towering temporary FIFA bleachers perfectly safe, builder says
An official with Arena Group, which built the stands, understands they may look hodgepodge but emphasizes safety: “We are all about the engineering and the strength. That is what we’re there to do.” The bleachers are installed at BMO Field to add extra capacity for the FIFA World Cup.
Gunmen-for-hire who targeted U.S. Consulate linked to earlier shootings
Texts and videos found on phones of those arrested in a probe into shootings at GFL facilities and the Toronto home of at least one executive show the shooters were paid between $600 and $800 each to target buildings, including the U.S. Consulate in March.
Canadian mother sues ChatGPT’s owner, alleging AI chatbot encouraged daughter’s suicide
The lawsuit claims the woman’s daughter told ChatGPT about her suicidal thoughts more than a dozen times between March 2024 and her death in July 2025, but the conversations were never flagged for human review.
Big Tech needs ‘to come to the table’ to figure out social media ban: Canada’s heritage minister
Heritage Minister Marc Miller tabled the Safe Social Media Act on June 10. One coalition of tech firms expressed concern that months or years could pass before companies seeking an exemption could secure one, removing the incentive to improve safety.
