With the province含羞草研究社檚 announcement that proof of vaccination will be needed to access non-essential services, local businesses are taking the brunt of people含羞草研究社檚 frustration.
Recently, an Instagram account surfaced called discriminatorybusinessesbc, where businesses in B.C. that will require proof of vaccination from patrons are publicly shamed. Followers are being asked to boycott businesses profiled on the account.
Kelowna restaurant Frankie We Salute You was recently profiled by the account, alleging the restaurant supports 含羞草研究社渟egregation.含羞草研究社�
Owner Christina Skinner said it all started when plans for the vaccine card were announced on Aug. 30.
含羞草研究社淲e started receiving inquiries from people asking about what our status (on the card) would be and saying if we were choosing to follow the mandate, they would boycott us and encouraged others to do the same,含羞草研究社� she said.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 an interesting choice of words. 含羞草研究社楥hoosing to follow the mandate含羞草研究社�? It含羞草研究社檚 not like businesses have much of a choice on the matter.含羞草研究社�
Skinner said instead of ignoring the threat, they decided to respond.
含羞草研究社淲e said we don含羞草研究社檛 actually know what the mandate will entail. We don含羞草研究社檛 know what the expectations are, how it will work.
含羞草研究社淩ather than understanding the situation, they chose to accept that we would be 含羞草研究社榮upporting the mandate含羞草研究社� and they chose to boycott us, shame us on social media by saying we含羞草研究社檙e supporting discrimination.含羞草研究社�
She said this isn含羞草研究社檛 the first time boycotts and threats have happened at Frankie含羞草研究社檚, either, with the restaurant含羞草研究社檚 staff being harassed before by anti-maskers.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a very small percent of the population, but they含羞草研究社檝e just made my staff含羞草研究社檚 quality of life miserable. My staff have been insulted and threatened and even if that just happens to someone once a week, that含羞草研究社檚 still a lot. It含羞草研究社檚 exhausting,含羞草研究社� she said.
But just like the community rallied around them when Frankie含羞草研究社檚 was targeted by anti-maskers, Skinner said they have received an outpouring of support recently too.
In the end, she said asking if businesses are 含羞草研究社渇ollowing the mandate含羞草研究社� is not the question to ask.
含羞草研究社淚f there含羞草研究社檚 a problem with the government mandate, then take it to your vote. Instead of punishing small businesses, we should ask 含羞草研究社榃hat am I doing to support businesses, what am I doing to support health care workers and what am I doing to take care of the sick and the elderly?含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
READ MORE: Kelowna mayor condemns anti-vax card protest at hospital
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