Canada Morning Brief: What You Need To Know For June 22

Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here! ☕

Narcity's Western Canada Editor, Morgan Leet, wrote a piece on the merits of deleting her social media accounts for a month. If someone could print this article out and mail it to her, that would be awesome.

Psst... You can now sign up for the soon-to-launch email version of the Canada Morning Brief right here.

5 Things You Need To Know Today

🌲 HOLIDAY
June 22 is World Rainforest Day and though your mind might first turn to the Amazon or the Congo, Canada's west coast is home to our very own rainforest, too. Ashley Harris has seven free things to do on your B.C. trip this summer.

🇺🇦 KYIV CALLING
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver a speech via video to Canadian university students today in an event organized by the University of Toronto. The topic is how Canada can support Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion.

🎥 RED CARPET
Hayden Christensen and Obi-Wan Kenobi director Deborah Chow will be doing a Q&A after a screening of the sixth and final episode of the Disney+ series at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto tonight. Check out more on Star Wars below.

🍅 FOOD FOLLY
Because we can't go a week without having our taste buds assaulted by a revolting brand activation, French's — the condiment company best known for not being Heinz — is giving away ketchup-flavoured popsicles in Vancouver today and Ontario on Thursday and Friday.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Three-time Oscar-winner (and 21-time nominee) Meryl Streep celebrates her 73rd birthday today. TV host Carson Daly (who has not been nominated for an Academy Award... yet) is 49. Former Toronto Raptors fan favourite Danny Green turns 35.

In Case You Missed It

1. Two Canadians Were Stabbed To Death In Mexico

Local authorities announced that a Canadian man and woman were found dead in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home to tourist hot spots Cancun and Tulum. It's not the first instance of Canadians being killed in Mexico and several regions of the country were already under a Canadian travel advisory due to high levels of crime. Helena Hanson has more details on the latest violence.

2. How Darth Vader Himself Spent Father's Day

What do you get the celestial strongman who has everything? In conversation with Narcity's Josh Elliott, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen detailed how he spent his Father's Day weekend with his seven-year-old daughter — and whether he plans on ever returning to his signature role once Obi-Wan Kenobi wraps up.

3. Enter Sandman: How To Be In The Next Adam Sandler Flick

Unlike his recent Netflix release Hustle, you don't need to be an active NBA player to get cast as an extra in an upcoming Adam Sandler movie set to film in Toronto later this summer. Instead, booking a part in the upcoming production hinges on having "lived experiences of attending a bar or bat mitzvah." Patrick John Gilson has more details on the project here.

4. Eight Canadian Beach Towns To Visit This Summer

You don't need to go south to experience beautiful, balmy beaches this summer. From coast to coast, Canada has enough sand to give you a taste of the tropics — from British Columbia to the Maritimes and even Manitoba. Katherine Caspersz breaks down the highlights, including an Ontario beach town that boasts real palm trees.

5. Ever Been To Beautiful 'Caw-quat-a-lam'?

As far as multi-syllabic words go, the Lower Mainland city of "Coquitlam" shouldn't pose too much of a challenge. In any case, here's Morgan again on the Miami Dolphins football team struggling to pronounce the Canadian hometown of their second-year safety Jevon Holland.

Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — where Canadian geography is the last line of defence against a blitzing pass rush.

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Have a great day and see you back here tomorrow!