Morning Brief: Canada's Best Fast Food Coffee, Celebrating Black History Month & More

Happy "Friday Jr." and Groundhog Day — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: Even though the most recent Miss Universe pageant came to a close in Louisiana a few weeks ago, Miss Russia evidently can't get over being "shunned" by several of her fellow contestants at the event. In an interview with Evening Moscow, Anna Linnikova detailed how "the girls from Ukraine and Switzerland generally ran away from me like fire." Gee, now why on Earth would that be?

In Case You Missed It

What Is The Best Fast Food Coffee In Canada?

Tristan Wheeler with the coffee. Right: Coffees from McDonald's, Starbucks and Tim Hortons.

Tristan Wheeler | Narcity

Most coffee drinkers in Canada have their go-to brand — especially those who stop to buy a cup of java on their way to work. Of course, most people don't have the physical capacity to test three coffees back-to-back-to-back to determine which one they actually prefer. That's where our Tristan Wheeler comes in; he recently sat down with a steaming cup from each of the three most popular fast food coffee sellers in Canada — McDonald's, Starbucks and Tim Hortons — to determine once and for all which brew reigns supreme.

• My Take: Weekday coffee is purely medicinal. Weekend coffee? That's where the magic happens.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Is Air Canada's 'Flight Pass' Ticket Option?

An Air Canada plane. Right: A person holds a Canadian passport.

John McArthur | Unsplash, Margolana | Dreamstime

Air Canada's Flight Pass is an interesting option if you're planning on making a number of trips in the near future. Basically, you lock in your price upfront for a flat fee by purchasing credits that are redeemable for future one-way flights. The flight pass lasts for 12 months, though you can purchase a three-month extension in order to use up any remaining credits. Katherine Caspersz walks us through some of the finer details — and more importantly, whether the service is actually worth it.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

How Is Canada Celebrating Black History Month?

Canada Post's Black History Month stamp honouring Chloe Cooley.

Canada Post

As part of Canada's ongoing observation of Black History Month, Canada Post has unveiled a new stamp celebrating the legacy of a real-life trailblazer. Chloe Cooley's acts of resistance in 1793 played a huge role in the eventual freedom of enslaved people in what was then Upper Canada, Sarah Rohoman writes — though her story didn't have a happy ending. Read about Cooley's incredible (and tragic) story.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

🌧️ ALBERTA WEATHER
Despite a fairly mild winter, Alberta could be headed for an iffy spring. As Charlie Hart notes, the Farmers' Almanac released its spring forecast for the province and storms are the norm through March, with rainy, windy showers taking over in April and May — albeit with warmer weather. Read the full breakdown here.

😬 TOTAL RECALL
Health Canada has issued a massive product recall for nearly 130,000 items of clothing sold by Helly Hansen that do not comply with federal flammability regulations. As Sarah Rohoman notes, the recall encompasses over 25 different types of sweaters, hoodies and jackets sold between August 2019-2022. See if anything you own is on the list.

👮 COP TALK
One of the weirder stories of 2023 so far has been the public outing of a series of sexual relationships between eight officers at the La Vergne Police Department in Tennessee. Now, leaked interview transcripts are providing insight into the thoughts of one of the now ex-cops — the lone woman in the workplace who was involved in the scandal. Brittany Cristiano explains.

📌JOB BOARD
Once again, it's time to head to the job boards to see how you could take the next step in your career. Today, Patrick John Gilson has collected seven interesting job openings based in Toronto, from being the manager of a fitness studio to running regional sales for a workwear company. Check the list out here.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuk player in NHL history, hits the big 4-0 today. Like her hips, Shakira's birth certificate doesn't lie; the Colombian singer turns 46 years old. The timeless Christie Brinkley is 69. Duane Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, is 70. The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, is 75. Farrah Fawcett would've turned 76 today. George Halas, the late owner of the Chicago Bears and co-founder of what would become the NFL, was born on this day in 1895. The Irish great James Joyce entered this world on this day in 1882.

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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — where have you gone, Wiarton Willie? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

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 to round out the week!