Morning Brief: Canada's Place Among The Happiest Countries, Wedding Gift Etiquette & More

Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: We recently asked readers over on our Facebook page to name something about life in Canada that feels illegal but isn't. From nearly 250 responses, some readers pointed out the cost of cell phone bills, smoking marijuana in public and dissing Tim Hortons. Ironically, responding to a Facebook post in the year 2023 isn't illegal but absolutely should be.

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In Case You Missed It

Where Does Canada Rank In Happiness?

The flag of Canada with snow-covered mountains in the background.

Igor Kyryliuk | Unsplash

Generally speaking, life in Canada is pretty darn swell. As a matter of fact, respondents to the annual Gallup World Poll placed our country 13th globally on the World Happiness Report, MTL Blog's Thomas MacDonald writes. That's two whole spots ahead of the United States. Among the factors that weighed most heavily on the results were a country's GDP, the "sense of freedom to make key life decisions," and the "perception of corruption."

• Go Deeper: Finland came out on top — for the sixth year in a row. In fact, Nordic countries dominated the list, with Denmark (No. 2), Iceland (3), Sweden (6) and Norway (7) also cracking the top 10.
• My Take: Only being slightly ahead of the U.S., one of the seemingly most perpetually miserable developed countries on the map, is faint praise.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

How Much Should You Spend On A Wedding Gift?

A bride and groom talking to their wedding guests. Right: A table filled with wedding gifts.

Arne9001 | Dreamstime, Matthew Clausen | Dreamstime

When it comes to purchasing a wedding gift, there really is no hard and fast rule for how much you're supposed to spend. Even the old rule of thumb that you should at least cover the cost of your meal — plus a little extra — only comes into play if your financial situation actually enables you to do so. Asymina Kantorowicz recently quizzed a wedding coordinator about the do's and don'ts of wedding gift etiquette — including what to give if you're already spending major dough as part of the wedding party.

• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Why Are Alcohol Prices Going Up In Canada?

Someone carries a massive tray with cups of beer.

Thomas Camus | Dreamstime

It's no April Fools' Day joke; higher alcohol taxes will come into effect across Canada starting April 1. The increase will see taxation rise by just over six percent. That's because Canada introduced an annual escalator tax on booze in 2017, which allows the government to increase taxation in tandem with the inflation rate, MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer writes.

• By The Numbers: Taxes already make up a sizeable chunk of the cost of booze. Per the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, federal and provincial taxes make up 47% of the cost of beer, 65% of the cost of wine and a whopping 80% of the cost of spirits on average.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

💸 SALE TRAIL
Having officially signalled its intent to wind down operations in Canada, American department store chain Nordstrom will begin liquidating its merchandise and fixtures today. There are six Nordstrom and seven Nordstrom Rack locations across Canada, Janice Rodrigues notes, meaning that savvy shoppers across the country should be able to score some solid deals.

👍 VAN HACKS
Living in Canada isn't cheap these days. That's especially the case in Vancouver, one of the priciest cities in North America. Locals on Reddit recently swapped tips on how to scrimp while living in the west-coast metropolis — including how to save on food, get around the city, have fun and navigate the real estate market. Sierra Riley breaks down the top advice.

🍛 FOOD BLUES
We all know that post-secondary education is pricy in Canada — and that extends well beyond the cost of tuition. McGill University students are fed up with not being particularly well fed, writes MTL Blog's Willa Holt, a result of the university's mandatory and incredibly marked-up food program for students in residence. Here's what people are saying about the inordinate food bills.

📌 JOB BOARD
The Toronto Transit Commission is consistently rated one of the GTA's top employers — so if you're looking to switch up your career, you could do a lot worse than applying for one of their vacant positions. Patrick John Gilson sifted through the listings so you don't have to. Here are some of the best current job openings — including some that pay north of $50 an hour.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
French soccer great Antoine Griezmann turns 32 years old today. Actor Scott Eastwood — Clint's doppelgänger — is 37. Future football Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson is 38. Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley and Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho both turn 43. Ex-Britney Spears hubby Kevin Federline is 45.

Loud-mouthed comedian Rosie O'Donnell and Ferris Bueller himself, Matthew Broderick, are both 61. Oscar winner Gary Oldman is 65. The late Eddie Money would've been 74 today. Former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton is 77. The late sexploitation director Russ Meyer was born on this date in 1922.

Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter that's slightly longer than the average K-Fed marriage

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!