After several hours of desperately needed sleep, CPYVR's scenario occurred to me. It was actually a connecting flight to BOS. The strange thing was that I could either get a Q fare to YYZ combined with a Y fare to BOS, which would not be upgradable for the long haul, or, I could only get a Y fare to YYZ with an H14NR fare to BOS (hence the YNR) which was substantially more expensive.

And while I had hoped to be on the "Fisch's" flight, alas I will be on an A319 direct YVR-BOS. Better upgraded on a 319 then not on a 340.