With only weeks left to go, some businesses in Quebec say they’re not done with the province's vaccine passport, despite the government's recent decision to stop requiring it.
Couvre-feu dans le Vieux-Port de Montréal : « un cauchemar », dit un commerçant | Coronavirus ici.radio-canada.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ici.radio-canada.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
To borrow novelist Joseph Hellerâs phrase âSomething Happenedâ this past Saturday afternoon in this city. It came alive for a few hours. Not through noisy, divisive demonstrations, but through normal living. It may have been the signal that it is time for a cautious renaissance and that we should start acting on the positive numbers showing up in our metropolis. Throughout the past year of restrictions, we have always been told that they were necessary based on the numbers and on public health directives. We were even told that when the contrary was true. Public health director Dr. Horacio Arruda had said on Sept. 25th that there was âno reason to close restaurants because they were following guidelines and there were few cases from that sector.â Restaurants were closed despite that comment some five days later. It not only tore the heart put of the joie de vivre of our city, cost 300,000 jobs but also contributed to a host of mental health problems according to many medical professionals. Humans are social animals. They need contact.
The lockdown of restaurants, clubs and bars has not only torn the heart out of Montrealâs famed joie-de-vivre, but has put an estimated 300,000 people out of work and may cause permanent closures of some 30% of those establishments. Hundreds of owners intend to do something about it in a symbolic mass opening this Saturday May 8th between noon and two. Doors will be open in all major entertainment areas including Peel, Crescent, Laurier, Bernard, St-Denis, and Griffintown, amongst others. Alain Creton, founder and owner of Peel St.âs fabled Chez Alexandre, told The Suburban in an exclusive interview that he has helped organize this city-wide effort because there has to be a manifestation of the urgency of the situation. âAll our establishments are becoming like museums. People need them for human contact. They are important for our socialization. And for our mental health. People need human contact.â