Morning Brief: A Parenting Conundrum, The State Of The TTC & More

Happy "Hump Day" and first day of February — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: A company called Sleep Junkie is on the lookout to hire five "dairy dreamers" to test out the long-held hypothesis that eating cheese before bed impacts the quality of sleep and perhaps even increases the likelihood of having nightmares. Candidates who successfully complete the work will receive $1,000 — or roughly enough dough to put together a solid charcuterie board given today's grocery prices.

In Case You Missed It

Was It Wrong For This Mom To Let Her Kid Hold Up The Grocery Checkout Line?

A mom and child at a grocery store.

Serhii Hryshchyshen | Dreamstime

It's not quite Sophie's Choice but the commentariat is torn over a major ethical dilemma in the grocery checkout aisle (and no, for once, this doesn't have anything to do with overpriced poultry or produce). Today, we turn to the popular Reddit message board "Am I The A**hole?" where a mother recently asked whether she was in the wrong for allowing her seven-year-old son to scan their items at self-checkout — despite there being a large line of customers behind them. Sameen Chaudhry looks at all angles of the debate.

• My Take: Self-checkout should be more like the hyper-express lane — eight items or less. If you've got a big load, you're better off patronizing a human-operated checkout counter, where expediency is still the name of the game.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Can Canadians Do To Observe Black History Month?

Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi. Right: Willie by Willie O'Ree with Michael McKinley.

@arsenalpulp | Instagram, @penguincanada | Instagram

February is Black History Month — and what better way to mark the occasion than reading a book by a Black Canadian author! Sarah Rohoman has curated a list of seven books definitely worth checking out.

For example, catch up on Willie by hockey legend Willie O'Ree with Michael McKinley. It's the first-hand account of the NHL's first-ever Black player, a New Brunswicker who broke the league's colour barrier with the Boston Bruins way back in 1958.

• My Take: There's also the best-selling They Said This Would Be Fun by Eternity Martis, which describes her time as a Black student at London's Western University — which happened to coincide with my own time at the school. Shoutout to Eternity.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Is The Latest News From The TTC?

Toronto Police officers on patrol at Dundas Station.

TorontoPolice | Twitter

Despite a rollout of increased police presence, violent crime continues to persist on Toronto's TTC public transportation system over the weekend. Saturday alone featured a series of assaults aboard a streetcar near the Eaton Centre, plus a robbery at knifepoint at Yorkdale Station. As Stuart McGinn notes, public sentiment seems to be skeptical that increased policing alone is anything but a pricy bandaid solution.

• By The Numbers: Eighty additional Toronto Police officers have been scattered across the TTC system since Friday.
• In Their Words: "Let’s be clear," one commentator on Twitter wrote, "that even if police were nearby, they will not prevent crime. They will respond to crime."
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

🪣 MONTREAL CALLING
With February officially upon us, it's a great time to check out Charlotte Hoareau's big breakdown of 18 activities for you to add to your bucket list for the calendar's shortest month. From checking out the remastered 25th-anniversary release of Titanic to dancing the night away at Igloofest's Après-Ski events, there's a little something for everyone here.

💰 DAILY DOUBLE
Canada made a notable appearance on Monday's episode of Jeopardy!, with host Ken Jennings quizzing the contestants on a category dubbed "Worst Case Ontario." As Stuart McGinn notes, the topic was a mixed bag for the trivia masters, as the three struggled to name the Ottawa Senators' intra-province rivals as well as the province directly west of Canada's most populous province.

🥣 SNACK ATTACK
Kellogg's is rolling out a number of new products across Canada this year, including variations of some familiar favourites. According to Sofia Misenheimer, we can expect to see Apple Cinnamon Vector, Cinnamon Pecan Special K, Maple Cinnamon Frosted Flakes, Cinnabon-flavoured cereal and... wait — was there a big sale on cinnamon recently?

🏀 GONE FERRELL
The Toronto Raptors found themselves facing an unexpected obstacle during their game in Portland last week: comedy legend Will Ferrell. In the latest clip from the team's Open Gym series, the Anchorman star was caught lightly heckling the Raps from his courtside seat, pestering the visitors for Drake's phone number among other distractions, Brooke Houghton writes

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Heartthrob Harry Styles and Ozark's Julia Garner both turn 29 years old today. Cage-fighter-turned-wrestler Ronda Rousey is 36. Reality TV staple Lauren Conrad is 37. Americana troubadour Jason Isbell is 44. Poker great Phil Ivey is 46. Outkast's Big Boi is 48. Dexter's Michael C. Hall is 52. The recently departed Lisa Marie Presley would've been 55 today. Former Toronto resident Rick James would've been 75 today. The great American poet Langston Hughes and great American actor Clark Gable were both born on this day in 1901. The iconic old Hollywood film director John Ford was born on this day in 1894.

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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter that seems to be developing an intolerance to cinnamon due to overexposure.

Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow!