Ottawa pub owner says most customers respectful of vaccine certificate mandate
An Ottawa pub owner says his business has not seen a dramatic increase in conflict between patrons and staff over Ontario's proof of vaccination system so far.
Drew Dobson, owner of Finnigan's Pub in Vanier, told Newstalk 580 CFRA's "CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent" that he believes most residents understand the system in place.
"We are turning some people away but most people know if they haven't been vaccinated they don't even try," he said. "The first day, we had a couple of people who chose to voice their opinions with their server, but she just sent them on their way."
Dobson says his sales are down overall compared to 2019, but it's not just the vaccination certificates that are keeping business slower than pre-pandemic times.
"Our sales are a little bit down still because of the other COVID restrictions. Putting tables two metres apart cuts our capacity in half," he said. "We're a neighbourhood pub. People go and they meet together. They're out with friends and stuff. Things like masking rules are not conducive to a social atmosphere. They're not going out to meet people, they can't get up and dance, they can't play darts, so it takes some of the fun out of going out to your local pub."
Dobson said a majority of his customers have been understanding of the system thus far.
"Generally people have been respectful and they understand that the businesses aren't making the rules. We're enforcing the rules on behalf of the government," he explained.
"There's no point in yelling at your server because they can't change them. The business owner, the same thing; they have no latitude to make exceptions for you, even though you might think we should. We just can't."
He added that the restaurant and bar industry is bearing a lot of the weight of COVID-19 restrictions, and it has an effect on staff.
"They work really hard and they take more abuse than they should have to for the pay they get," he said, of the industry. "They put in long hours. They were working when other people were allowed to be at home. It's rewarding because it's a social job and some people like it, but it's a tough job, especially during a pandemic."
Second pop-up vaccine clinic planned
Dobson said the more people who are vaccinated, the better it is for everyone.
He hosted a pop-up vaccination clinic at Finnigan's Pub last weekend and says he is working with Ottawa Public Health to hold another one soon.
"It went really well. I think we were one of the busiest clinics on that weekend. Forty-nine people, in the end, were vaccinated, many of them with their first dose, so that was encouraging," he said. "We're working with Ottawa Public Health to set up a second one so that those people can come and get the second dose as well."
Finnigan's Pub is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Dobson said.
"We're a staple of the Vanier community and we felt an affinity for the community and we wanted to do what we could to make it easier and more accessible for people who wanted to get vaccinated to have that opportunity."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING 14 suspects arrested in grandparent scam targeting seniors across Canada: Ontario police
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.