In all seriousness, is he trying to overload the tabloids with so much salacious information that the entire cottage industry around Royal watching simply ceases to exist?
In Case You Missed It
1. Would Pierre Poilievre Win If An Election Was Held Today?
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Right: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
@pierrepoilievremp | Instagram, @justinpjtrudeau | Instagram
If Canada held a snap federal election, there's a strong chance we'd be looking at a minority Conservative government headed by Prime Minister Pierre Poilievre, according to new polling from 338Canada. The Tories would be projected to capture 144 ridings compared to 137 Liberal seats, with a popular vote edge of 35% to 31%, Tristan Wheeler writes.
- Who Else? The polling suggests that the NDP would win about 26 seats with 21% of the popular vote, keeping the left-wing progressives in a position to align with whichever party is willing to integrate some of their policy objectives into their own.
- Of Course: Poilievre's Conservatives aren't in a position to force a snap election; with the Liberals and NDPs currently in agreement to work together through 2025, plenty can happen between today and whenever Poilievre gets the opportunity to present his case to Canadians.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
2. What Is The Canadian Healthcare System Like For Newcomers?
A hospital in Canada. Right: a person at a pharmacy.
Marco Garcia | Dreamstime, Shawn Goldberg | Dreamstime
When Narcity's own Janice Rodrigues moved to Canada from Dubai last year, she was faced with the tall task of navigating a brand-new healthcare system — albeit one that is internationally known for its inclusiveness. Janice quickly learned there are two ways to find a family doctor in Ontario: register with Health Care Connect and have one assigned to you or cold-call doctors' offices to ask if they're taking new patients.
- However: Even though she didn't have a dedicated family doctor yet, Janice realized she could still head to a walk-in clinic with her health card to get some short-term care. Her biggest takeaway? Expect a wait.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
3. How Did Rising Mixed Martial Artist Victoria Lee Die?
Deceased MMA fighter Victoria Lee.
@victorialee.maa | Instagram, @angelaleemma | Instagram
We don't know how Victoria Lee, an 18-year-old Hawaiian MMA fighter, died on December 26 of last year, but the shocking news has ricocheted through the tight-knit combat sport community since her family made the news public earlier this week. Nicknamed "The Prodigy," Lee won all three of her professional matches — all for the ONE Championship promotion, where two of her older siblings had won championships. Sameen Chaudhry explains what we know about Lee's too-short life.
What Else You Need To Know Today
⚜️ MONTREAL CALLING
If you've been waiting for the right moment to buy a home in Montreal, the market is looking more favourable by the day. Average prices for single-family homes were down 3% to $510K from December 2021 to 2022, MTL Blog's Thomas MacDonald writes. Here's which neighbourhoods experienced the biggest price drop.
🚂 POLAR EXPRESS
Looking to plan a weekend trip from Toronto but don't have access to a car? No sweat; as Madeline Forsythe notes, there are a handful of awesome destinations to explore in Ontario that are only a train or bus ride away — like Blue Mountain, where there's so much more than skiing to check out.
🔦 CAVE RAVE
Did you know that Vancouver Island is home to the only "cave slide" in Canada? While spelunking through Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park, you'll need to channel your inner board game fanatic to traverse the narrow passageways using chutes and ladders. For more on the incredibly unique cave adventure, here's Ashley Harris.
🏖️ VACATION NATION
Pro tip: the best way to stretch those vacation days is by stacking them up alongside statutory holidays, turning your long weekend into enough time to take to the skies. Brooke Houghton walks us through some of Ontario's statutory holidays for 2023 and how she'd maximize her time off accordingly.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Retired NBA defensive hound Tony "The Grindfather" Allen turns 41 years old today. Frequent Saw series director Darren Lynn Bousman can't escape the trap of turning 44. The wonderful Amanda Peet is 51, as is Yo Gabba Gabba! creator Christian Jacobs. Mary J. Blige is getting it percolating at 52. Girls Trip director Malcolm D. Lee is 53. The late Darryl Dawkins, whose powerful dunks earned him the nickname "Chocolate Thunder" and forced the NBA to develop breakaway rims, would've been 66 today. The former Prime Minisiter Jean Chrétien celebrates his 89th birthday (with a big plate of pepper, perhaps).
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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — and remember: to this newsletter... pepper... we put it on our plate.
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