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June 9, 2020 8h37
Updated at 15h29
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Bars are accusing Barcelona of favouritism and could re-open despite the ban
Michel Saba
The Canadian Press
Financially “out of breath” and feeling a victim of injustice, keepers of bars warn Quebec that some of them could be pushed to the “civil disobedience” if the government maintains its refusal to allow them to reopen at the same time as the restaurants.
The Corporation of the owners of bars, brasseries and taverns in Quebec has indicated that it has informed the government on Monday evening of this possibility.
“We received a lot of calls from people who are in a ras-le-bol total pis that will surely may be defy the law,” said the ceo of the association, Renaud Poulin, in an interview with The canadian Press.
It does not digest that Quebec prevents them to open their doors so that the restaurants will now be able to sell liquor without a meal must be consumed, or the vocation of their sector. It is “very offensive”, according to keepers.
If these tenants are discovering that dozens of people in a restaurant having to consume only alcohol late in the evening, “they will not accept it”, summed up Mr. Poulin.
“”We received a lot of calls from people who are in a ras-le-bol total pis that will surely may be defy the law. ”
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Renaud Poulin, president and ceo of the Corporation of the owners of bars, brasseries and taverns in Quebec
His association accuses the authorities, and more specifically the national director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda, the “favoritism” and use “false arguments” to justify their position.
During a press conference on Monday, prime minister François Legault had explained that”there is a difference between the bars where everyone is standing closer to each other than to the restaurants where we limit the number of people at each table, and the distances”.
Dr. Arruda was added explaining that the consumption of alcohol is in a “different context” and that the decisions take into account to what extent the environment is conducive to the rules of distancing.
“This is not true, ruled Mr. Poulin. You can easily place them at the tables. It is the same thing in New Brunswick and everywhere. You can take measures to ensure that there is no one at the bar.”
The association also notes that the bars in New Brunswick have been able to reopen and that the people of Ontario will be able to do it at the same time as restaurants on Friday.
