We would wish you a good morning, but we think a call for ‘American tears’ may be more appropriate – or rather ‘Tkachuk brother tears’.

Two NBC Olympic ads have been stirring up controversy online, with one of them centred around Calgary’s very own home-grown pop-star, Tate McRae. 

Canadian fans of McRae have been speaking out against the commercials and questioning why the Canadian singer would promote team USA. 

POV: Canadians to McRae online right now

McRae attempted to challenge the criticism, sharing an Instagram story of her as a child with a Canadian flag captioned “…y’all know I’m Canada down”

Calgary Journal social media & video editor, Mia Smith, breaks the story down further in her article.

Another ad featuring Jon Hamm and the Team USA hockey team seemed to target Canada specifically – referencing “Canadian tears” as the ultimate gold metal goal for the Winter Olympics. 

As Canadians, we just have one thing to remind Team USA of – who shed tears last?

Here are some standout stories from this week:

‘Y’all know I’m Canada down’: Calgary-born Tate McRae responds to NBC ad backlash

By Mia Smith, McRae, a born and raised Calgarian, was also recently announced as co-host of the 2026 Juno Awards along with Justin Bieber.

Farkas floats potential for Calgary Olympics as Milano-Cortina Games begin

By Karra Smith, Calgary mayor says Olympics could return to Cowtown for the first time since 1988

Food insecurity a ‘very sad reality’ in 2026

By Emma Marshall, Food support organizations in Calgary say demand continues to grow as grocery prices outpace income

Featured Podcast Listening:

MRU listening

Community Podcast Initiative: The Ethics and Intimacy of Podcasting in Journalism

This episode dives into the ethics of podcasting in journalism and how para-social can affect storytelling.

News+Business

Sandy and Nora talk politics: Canada’s Epstein connections

In this episode, Sandy and Nora go through a few Canadians names who appear in the Epstein files plus more.

Lifestyle+Culture

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our 2026 Grammys Recap

Produced by NPR, this episode highlights the awards, the speeches, and the biggest wins of the evening.

What the editors are listening to!

MURDERED: Bobby Moore

This is our news and podcast editor, Emma Marshall’s, podcast pick of the week.

Photo Gallery:

Taken on the Blue Bridge in St. James’s park during an October afternoon in London. Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial can be seen peaking through the lush trees in the park. PHOTO: EMMA MILLER
Within the National Portrait Gallery in London sits an unfinished painting of William Wilberforce, a British politician who was a leading figure in the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. This was the final portrait painted of Wilberforce which went unfinished due to a spinal cord injury that caused him pain to sit for the painting. PHOTO: EMMA MILLER
Pictured is a Haida totem pole made by the peoples of the Haida Gwaii in British Columbia. The 11-foot totem pole is from a historical village called Kayang and is now on display in the Great Court of the British Museum. PHOTO: EMMA MILLER
Pictured is a face-focused picture of an unfinished sketch by Leonardo da Vinci that resides in the National Portrait Gallery of London. Originally titled “The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and the Infant Saint John the Baptist”, it is also often referred to as “The Burlington House Cartoon”. PHOTO: EMMA MILLER

Below are some events taking place in and around Calgary this week that you may want to check out:

– BCW Calgary Black History Month 2026
When:  Feb. 7, 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Where: Stockmans Centre (Unit 102, 2116 – 27 Ave NE T2E 7A6, Calgary, AB)
Cost: Tickets now sold out

– Legally Blonde
When: Feb. 8, 12:00 p.m.
Where: Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre 4501 50 St. Camrose, AB

Cost: Prices vary

– Calgary Hitmen vs. Swift Current Broncos
When: Feb. 11, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome
Cost: Prices vary

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Emma Miller is a fourth-year journalism student who is passionate about infusing historical perspectives into her reporting and using audio as a creative and effective storytelling method. Along with her...

Daria is a Newsletter Editor at The Calgary Journal while completing the final semester of her Journalism & Digital Media degree. She is also the Associate Editor at FashionX Magazine, and will continue...