Happy to share that I joined the @TorontoStar as an Investigative Reporter today, and will soon be relocating to Toronto. I want to thank my former colleagues at The @globeandmail, where I learned so much these past 2+ years. You can now reach me at fplante@thestar.ca

Le @BarreauduQuebec se dit favorable à une modification de la loi qui permettrait aux journalistes de se présenter seuls devant la @CAI_Quebec Le président de la FPJQ @epchampagne se réjouit de cette ouverture. Article de @MarinSteph dans @LeDevoir👇 https://t.co/b1Qa5O1xIJ

Je salue cette sortie du @BarreauduQuebec qui vient appuyer une demande la @FPJQ afin de modifier la Loi sur le Barreau. Vouloir forcer les journalistes à être représentés par un avocat devant la Commission d'accès à l'information ne sert pas l'intérêt public.

A new investigation just published by the Toronto Star suggests that our recent analysis of goeasy's "true" delinquency rates may have been too kind. The article indicates that Lendcare's "true" delinquency rate may have gone north of 20%. Such a number is astoundingly high and

Ontario should step up regulation of alternative lending industry, MPPs urge in wake of Star’s Lendcare investigation

#StarInvestigation: Inside this Ontario loan company, concern grew as payments stopped. Its plan to keep bad debt​ off the books came at the expense of vulnerable borrowers

Human rights lawyers are urging the RCMP to investigate and arrest Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni for alleged war crimes ahead of tonight's Munk Debates in Toronto. “Canada cannot become known as a safe haven for suspected war criminals," a lawyer told me. https://t.co/SsbCsVJyBW

5/ This is the second story w/ @anabpereiraa looking into LendCare. In Nov, we found it partners with unscrupulous businesses across the country that prey on vulnerable borrowers through scams and other exploitative contracts:

4/ LendCare also does repeat restructurings of loans to make them appear in good standing, again only temporarily. Former staff said they do this even in desperate cases where the company no longer has accurate banking information to pull payments.

3/ But this creates a temporary dip in delinquencies, before payments bounce back after a few days. Former staff told me LendCare also hits settled accounts with surprise payments. They said the company even hits dead borrowers' accounts.

2/ LendCare does so by running unexpected payments grabbing money sometimes earmarked for rent and other essential expenses. It often hits empty accounts, leading to NSF fees and further hurting vulnerable borrowers.

1/ Subprime point-of-sale lender LendCare has been suppressing delinquency and charge-off rates to mislead parent company Goeasy investors, according to internal emails, court records and sources:

Star Investigation: When surgery left her in crippling pain, she warned Ontario’s medical watchdog she was losing the will to go on. Did the regulator do enough to help? https://t.co/QZPNiwEOIE

Who is Sam Mraiche? Inside the health care procurement controversy shaking Alberta politics. A @globeandmail investigation with @CarrieTait, @markmackinnon and @HoserLibrarian https://t.co/QROhBPhzvd

On Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Sam Mraiche https://t.co/5AGakRcy3P w/ @tom_cardoso @markmackinnon @HoserLibrarian

Hey, did you guys know my DMs are open? Truth. I am also on Signal, WhatsApp and not opposed to communicating telephonically. Come say hi! #ableg #abpoli https://t.co/5AGakRcy3P

Ontario’s transparency watchdog says it has been forced to intervene “directly” with the solicitor general’s office after a “recent trend” in which the ministry responsible for law enforcement is defying quasi-judicial orders. https://t.co/WMSqdxVoxK #onpoli

NEW: One of the few dentistry-focused Skills Development Fund recipients, which the Ford government gave $2M+ to, is run by a dentist whose clients include members of the premier’s family, say eight well-placed sources & the dentist's website.

https://t.co/wvVn0p5Ykr

No, they would not be. Studies and experts have repeatedly said “lines and signs” do little to deter speeding. As for speed bumps? None of Toronto’s speed cam locations can get them, see my @TorontoStar analysis here:

She shut a Magna-owned factory down over extreme temperatures — then was fired. What the story of Grenville Castings reveals about Ontario's heat protections