A fennec fox. Right: Someone serving two bright orange cocktails.
It's Monday. Andrew from Narcity here — You're here, too, so we might as well just do this, right? ☕
Off The Top: A Canadian TikToker recently posted a video in which he asked his France-born partner to open and pour a bag of milk. Of course, this went about as well as you might've expected, with liquid soon sloshing all over their kitchen area. If nothing else, the couple seems to have landed on a new and especially cruel test as part of the Canadian citizenship process.
In Case You Missed It
What Are Disgusting Things About Restaurants That Only Servers Know?
Narcity news editor Morgan Leet. Right: Someone serving drinks.
Morgan Leet | Narcity, Inna Zhukova | Dreamstime
As the patron of a restaurant — even a particularly nice one — there's a lot you don't see happening behind the scenes. And, frankly, you should probably be thankful for that; ignorance is bliss, and as Narcity's Morgan Leet explains, there's a fair amount you'd probably prefer not to know.
For instance, take your typical bar setup. If the bartender cut all those lime wedges at the start of their shift, and have been sticking their hand repeatedly into the bin throughout the shift, chances are that the server's hands aren't 100% clean all the time. Eventually, there are is going to be contamination — just one of the uncomfortable realities Morgan details in her piece.
What Is The Status Of Tim Hortons' Class-Action Lawsuit?
Tim Hortons location in Toronto.
Hey, remember how Tim Hortons was effectively spying on its customers through its mobile app? Well, don't you worry; justice will be served — er... well, coffee and donuts will be served, anyway. The chain has settled its class action lawsuits in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec, and if you received an email from Tim Hortons earlier this month, you're already approved to take part in the settlement.
However, as Lisa Belmonte points out, the "settlement" is merely credit for one hot beverage and one baked good — and adding insult to injury, you have to use the Tim Hortons Rewards program to redeem the freebies.
- Go Deeper: The core issue was that the Tims app was collecting its customers' location data every few minutes — even when the app wasn't in use. The malfeasance spanned April 2019 through September 2020.
- My Take: I've had stalkers who were less invasive. And at least they didn't make me drink Tim Hortons coffee.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Exotic Animals Are Legal To Own In Canada?
A fennec fox. Right: A wallaby.
Michael Elliott | Dreamstime, Ondřej Novotný | Dreamstime
If you're looking for a great conversation starter at your local off-leash park, skip the dachshund and opt instead for a 150-pound rat. Yes, the noble capybara — king of the rodents — is somehow legal to own in Canada, although they require serious attention. However, this relative of the guinea pig isn't the only exotic animal that is perfectly legal to own in this country. MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer actually discovered a wide range of far-flung pets — like fennec foxes, pot-bellied pigs and pygmy goats — that we are somehow technically allowed to have roaming our homes in Canada.
- My Take: Seems like a lot of upkeep just to wind up accidentally destroying the local ecosystem when your horde of sugar gliders escape their enclosure. I'll stick to flushing baby alligators down the toilet, thank you very much.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Else You Need To Know Today
🤖 ROWDY ROBOT
Canada's language laws can be a hot-button topic — especially in Quebec. That's why we offloaded the onus of discussing the issues surrounding language to the artificial intelligence-backed tool Chat GPT. As MTL Blog's Willa Holt explains, the end result was even more unsettling than if a human had been tasked with explaining the issue.
🏖️ LIFE'S A BEACH
We're past the halfway point of winter... which means we can start to allow ourselves to daydream about sunnier, warmer days. Madeline Forsyth spotted a cool beach house for rent in Grand Bend, Ontario, that sleeps up to 12 guests and boasts a private, sandy beach with azure waters that look like something out of the Caribbean.
🤢 TOTAL RECALL
It's once again time to head to your fridges and pantries to see if anything in your home recently made Health Canada's list of recalled food items. As Sarah Rohoman reports, there's a number of really dangerous products to look out for, like a vegetable spread containing pieces of glass and E. coli-tainted paneer. Here's the full breakdown.
📌 JOB BOARD
If you're looking to make a little extra scratch but don't want to change careers entirely, this story's for you. Patrick John Gilson scoured the job boards and found eight interesting part-time gigs in Toronto, some of which pay up to $60 an hour. From being a social media creator to helping teach kids soccer, check the full list here.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Former Toronto Raptors big man — and former Mr. Kim Kardashian — Kris Humphries turns 38 years old today. He's never gonna give you up; Rick Astley is 57. The Tragically Hip's wonderful Gord Downie would have turned 59 today. Guns N' Roses rocker Axl Rose is 61. Get up, stand up for Bob Marley — who would've turned 78 today. Classic newsman Tom Brokaw is 83. The late Rip Torn was born today in 1931. The late great Zsa Zsa Gabor was born on this day 106 years ago.
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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter once again shut out from the Grammys by the industry elite.
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!
