Good morning — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕
Off The Top: Montreal-based BluePearl Distillery has unveiled a new gin product, Jardin Verde Glam, designed to add a little festive pep to your cocktails; in addition to notes of cucumber, rosemary, basil and mint, the holiday-minded spirit also boasts edible glitter — just the sort of product that will keep your liver glistening long after your party guests have gone home.
In Case You Missed It
1. Canada's Paltry Guaranteed Vacation Time Is Nothing To Write Home About
No, it's not just your contract. According to a recent study, Canada actually ranks among the worst countries in the world when it comes to workers receiving paid vacation time, Katherine Caspersz writes. The baseline in this country is a mandatory 10 days of paid leave plus nine paid public holidays for a total of 19 days of paid time off — which places Canada 16th from the bottom among 197 countries.
- Counterpoint: At least Canada beats out our neighbour to the south. The United States doesn't guarantee any minimum level of paid leave beyond 10 public holidays, putting the country at 196th on the list, ahead of only Micronesia.
- What Else: At the other end of the spectrum is Iran, which somehow boasts 53 days of PTO per year.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
2. Ontario Is Investing Millions In Helping Nurses Learn New Skills
The Ontario government announced last week that it is committing $4.6 million toward an initiative aimed at levelling up the skills of nurses who want to work in critical care. According to Patrick John Gilson, the province says that by this spring, the free education program will have up-skilled 600 registered nurses, preparing them to better tackle critical care areas. The funds will also help backfill gaps created by nurses moving into critical care roles.
- In His Words: "These funds will provide nurses with free tuition to study here at Mitchener Institute and will cover all college and hospital costs including backfilling to ensure continuity of care," Premier Doug Ford said.
- What Else: Ontario also announced a $9.4 million investment toward beefing up the nursing programs at six post-secondary institutions in the province: Centennial College, Conestoga College, George Brown College, Laurentian University, Mohawk College and St. Lawrence College.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
3. Canadiens Goalie Price Offers Sloppy Defence For Barrage Of Pro-Gun Posts
Longtime Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price has elicited raised eyebrows and angry comments thanks to his untimely decision to stump for firearm access during the week of the anniversary of the Polytechnique Montréal massacre on December 6, 1989. The 35-year-old B.C. native is against the Liberal-backed federal bill C-21, which would implement a ban on handguns and some weapons used by hunters, MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer reports. On December 4, Price posted a picture holding a shotgun while expressing support for a pro-gun group, the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights.
- In His Words: Price's initial post featured the caption: "I love my family, I love my country and I care for my neighbour. I am not a criminal or a threat to society. What Justin Trudeau is trying to do is unjust. I support the CCFR to keep my hunting tools. Thank you for listening to my opinion."
- Go Deeper: A statement released by the Canadiens on December 5 claimed that Price was "not aware" of the Polytechnique massacre, in which 14 women were murdered by an anti-feminist gunman. Price refuted that claim in a follow-up post, saying he was aware of the anniversary — though he offered an apology to those upset by the timing of his posts.
- Context: Price has appeared in over 700 games and earned major accolades since making his Canadiens debut in 2007 — though he has only played five games over the past two seasons due to injuries and a self-admitted struggled with substance abuse and mental health. It's unlikely he plays during the 2022-23 season.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Else You Need To Know Today
🎬 HOLLYWEIRD
When Cheers star Kirstie Alley died at age 71 on Monday after a private battle with cancer, the event reignited the debate over Scientology — namely, whether the religion/well-branded cult's stance on contemporary medicine might have hindered the longtime adherent's recovery. Josh Elliott examines the latest commentary about the Hollywood-based racket.
📺 OTHERWORLDLY OPTION
There are already a ton of streaming options in Canada. Now, starting earlier this month, you can add Pluto TV to that list. Tristan Wheeler reviewed the new service, which allows users to watch classic shows for free, especially shows from the 1970s through 1990s, just as long as you watch a handful of ads about twice per half hour of programming. Seems like a solid deal!
🍑 SOUTHERN COMFORT
A Canadian TikToker recently took a trip to Georgia — and all of the stereotypes about America's "Southern Hospitality" were quickly proven true. The most obvious difference is in the South's approach to customer service; small touches like staff saying "good morning" when a customer entered the store (and actually asking if you need help) were duly noted, Maeve Brown writes.
🎄 HOLIDAY HAZE
You've seen those Hallmark-style movies advertised left and right every December; now's your turn to actually live the experience. Avery Friedlander has gone into the Narcity vault to refresh our classic piece on festive date-night activities in Toronto. Strap on your boots and locate your mittens, here are nine ways to pass the time with your special someone this holiday season.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Mad Max: Fury Road actor Nicholas Hoult turns 33 years old today. Recently deceased child pop star Aaron Carter would've been 35. Courageous singer Sara Bareilles is 43. Former Montreal Canadiens enforcer Georges Laraque is 46. Gregarious NFL legend Terrell Owens showboats his way to 49. Westworld star Jeffrey Wright turns 57. No. 33 turns 66; happy birthday Larry Bird. The gravel-voiced Tom Waits is 73. Stage and screen legend Ellen Burstyn is still delighting audiences at 90.
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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter that previously thought NHL goalies were philosophically opposed to shots.
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!
