Brendan Kennedy
TorontoStar
Toronto, ON, Canada
Contact Brendan
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Brendan:
‘Let them know we’re not going anywhere!’:Trans March kicks off Pride weekend
Purported to be the largest Trans March in the world, Friday’s event helps kick off Pride weekend, which culminates in Sunday’s parade. → Read More
‘Do we need this?’: Halton school board rejects new ‘professionalism’ policy
Criticized for being too vague and not specifying a dress code for teachers, the proposed policy was ordered in response to controversy surrounding a teacher whose provocative clothing garnered international headlines. → Read More
Ontario to stop using jails for immigration detention
The province’s decision effectively ends the controversial practice across the country. → Read More
Ontario continues to house immigration detainees in jails even as other provinces put an end to ‘truly shocking’ practice
Nearly 460 detainees were jailed here last year, most because they were considered flight risks. Ontario says it’s reviewing its agreement with Ottawa. → Read More
When Ontario said ‘no.’ Inside the only known case where the province defied Ottawa’s request to house an immigration detainee in a max-security jail
The nearly two-year detention of an African immigration detainee was found to be “dehumanizing” and “degrading.” → Read More
‘Alarming’ number of jailed immigration detainees have mental health problems, Star analysis finds
The Star reviewed 60 cases of immigration detainees held in Ontario jails and found more than half had reported mental health issues. → Read More
Plaques unveiled for Canada’s first Black doctors
Pioneering 19th-century physicians Alexander Augusta and Anderson Abbott celebrated for their contributions with plaques to be installed in Toronto → Read More
Innisfil police shooter ‘ambushed’ cops before killing himself: SIU
South Simcoe police constables Devon Northrup, 33, and Morgan Russell, 54, were killed Oct. 11 after arriving at a home for a domestic disturbance. → Read More
Ontario Ministry of Health reverses course on guardianship requirement for disabled woman
The policy change comes after the Star reported on the ultimatum given to a Kingston woman: lose her funding or her independence. → Read More
A Toronto private school was sued over a student’s alleged sexual assault. The school’s name was kept secret until now
Upper Canada College’s identity had been concealed by a sweeping publication ban, which has been overturned. The school denies any wrongdoing. → Read More
Oakville megachurch reveals new sexual abuse allegations against former pastor Bruxy Cavey
The Meeting House says they have “substantiated” additional allegations against the popular former pastor, including one case involving a minor. → Read More
The Ontario government has given Maggie an ultimatum: the disabled teen can lose her funding or her independence
The Ministry of Health will cut the funding Maggie Hickey uses for caregivers unless her parents impose guardianship over her. → Read More
A prescription for healthy food? Food Rx program gives people access to fresh fruit and vegetables on doctor’s orders
“Prescribing food is not something I wanted to do as a health-care worker,” said Dr. Andrew Boozary. “It’s a response to broken social systems.” → Read More
Is basic income dead in Ontario, or just sleeping?
All three opposition parties are promising to revive basic income in some fashion, but the Progressive Conservatives would keep it mothballed. → Read More
Canada’s use of criminal jails for immigration detainees violates Charter, lawsuit alleges
Potential class-action launched against the federal government on behalf of two former detainees who suffered from post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression as a result of their detention. → Read More
Ford government ‘isn’t even trying’: Dream of fully accessible Ontario by 2025 out of reach, disability advocates say
With the fate of Ontario’s accessibility law at stake, next month’s election is being called the “most pivotal” for the province’s 2.6 million people with disabilities. → Read More
‘It’s not poverty, it’s destitution’: Advocates plead for increase to disability support payments
“I am constantly made to feel like a second-class citizen,” said Michael Iacovone, a 32-year-old university student with spina bifida. → Read More
Ontario’s ‘secrecy’ when closing youth jails hurt Indigenous teens, ombud finds
Plans to abruptly shutter youth jails in 2021 were “shrouded in secrecy,” writes provincial Ombudsman Paul Dubé in a 60-page report, released Tuesday. → Read More
Why did Durham’s school board remove this Indigenous children’s book from its libraries?
The Durham District School Board recently pulled several books from its libraries, including “The Great Bear” by David A. Robertson, an award-winning Indigenous author. → Read More
Child-care deal for Ontario ‘happy news’ for families, but will there be enough spots?
Advocates, analysts applaud the deal but are skeptical that spaces can meet demand, and that promised wage increases can attract enough workers. → Read More