Morning Brief: Canada's Place Among The Most Powerful Nations, Bucket List Trips & More

Happy Hump Day — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: In a new list of the 23 must-visit vacation destinations for 2023, CNN Travel placed none other than beautiful, balmy Ottawa alongside the likes of Cairo (Egypt), Naoshima (Japan) and Thessaloniki (Greece). While the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill were among the "don't miss" attractions in our humble capital, CNN devoted an entire paragraph to the NHL's Senators, lending credence to the theory that Ottawa's inclusion in the article is just the latest elaborate Ryan Reynolds gag.

In Case You Missed It

1. Here's Where Canada Ranks Among The World's Most Powerful Nations

The U.S. News & World Report released a new ranking of the world's most powerful nations and Canada placed... reasonably well, actually. While heavyweights like the U.S. (No. 1), China (2) and Russia (3) made the podium, our home and native land placed 12th overall — immediately ahead of other major global players like India (13), Ukraine (14), Italy (15) and Australia (16). Katherine Caspersz puts it all into context for us.

• Context: To compile the rankings, five factors relating to power were considered: both political and economic influence, international alliances, military might, and simply being "a leader."
• On The Home Front: Canada scored especially high in economic influence and alliances but lost marks due to its comparatively small military.
• My Take: Not unlike CNN, the U.S. News & World Report also obviously hasn't seen the Senators play these last six years.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

2. Starting This Fall, Your Euro Trip Will Be About $10 Pricier

Later this year, Canadians travelling to Europe can expect an extra hit to their wallet for most destinations. Starting November 1, the new European Travel Information Authorization System (say that five times fast) will require non-EU residents to pony up 7 euros — currently the equivalent of $10 — as part of the region's new visa waiver system, MTL Blog's Mike Chaar writes.

• Um, Why? Well, it's a cash grab, obviously. But if you want to get technical about it, the system is designed to "reduce procedures and wait times" and "address security concerns" — those concerns presumably being the securing of more tourist dollars.
• Silver Lining: Frequent flyers may find some solace in the fact that, once approved, the ETIAS waiver can be valid for up to three years.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

3. No Matter Where You Are In Canada, An Island Of Adventure Awaits

If the money's going to be a little too tight to cover that $10 gouge by the EU, you could always stay closer to home and check out some of the incredible sights that Canada has to offer. Sure, we may not boast the world's strongest military... but what we lack in drone-strike capability we apparently make up for by boasting more than 52,000 islands. Contributor Sakshi Udavant breaks down 10 Canadian islands you should add to your travel bucket list, from Newfoundland's far-flung Fogo Island to B.C.'s Haida Gwaii.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

🛒 BUY LOW, ZELL' HIGH
Well, it's 2023; that means it's almost time for Hudson's Bay Company's relaunching of Zellers as... presumably some sort of pop-up event? It's unclear exactly what the return of the once-formidable Canadian value retailer will actually entail but Tristan Wheeler pinpoints seven core childhood memories he hopes the reboot recreates in some form. (Not that any of us need to see a grown man hoisted about on one of those in-store Ferris wheel contraptions.)

🥯 IN THE BAG(EL)
At Narcity, we are contractually obligated to pledge our fealty to Montreal-style bagels, the most efficient way to jam the equivalent of a loaf of bread down your gullet. MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer walks us through the history of Canada's hole-iest culinary delight — then tells us where to find the best bagels in the city.

🏠 SURREAL ESTATE
Imagine waking up every morning and immediately taking a stroll past your personal forest to get to your private, white sand beach. Lisa Belmonte spotted an incredible listing in Nova Scotia that boasts a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 3,000-square-foot home on a 12-acre lot. It's yours for a cool $1,525,000 — roughly the price of a parking spot in Toronto.

📌 JOB BOARD
The City of Toronto is looking to fill a number of jobs — which can be especially lucrative if you also hold a seat on the Rogers board. Patrick John Gilson found eight positions that pay up to $120K and there's a decent chance that you possess skills that qualify for at least one of them. Take a look right here.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
It star Jaeden Martell turns 20 years old today. Runaway freight train Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry turns 29. Kids in the Hall co-founder Dave Foley is 60. Hibernating R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe is 63. Legendary Miami Dolphins coach — and the NFL's all-time winningest bench boss — Don Shula would have turned 93 today. English physicist Sir Isaac Newton was born on this day way back in 1643; prior to his discovery of gravity, things kind of just floated aimlessly through the ether. Thanks, Isaac!

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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter of choice for long-dead astrophysicists.

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!