Ottawa restaurant offers dinners to residents who stood up to convoy protesters
The co-owner of a downtown Ottawa restaurant says he'd love to treat some local residents who made headlines standing up to “Freedom Convoy” protesters.
North & Navy on Nepean Street, still behind police checkpoints in the "secure area" downtown, said on social media it plans to reopen Wednesday, and offered free dinner to several local heroes.
"We would like to invite Blue Jacket guy, Balcony Man, Pot & Ladle man, 3 grannies and of course Zexi Li to dinner on us any time," the restaurant said on Twitter.
Zexi Li is the Centretown resident who filed a class action lawsuit against the protesters, which included an injunction blocking the constant honking that residents had been enduring.
Blue Jacket Guy, Balcony Man, and Pot & Ladle Man are people who were recorded standing up to the protesters at different times over the last three weeks, from telling them to take their fight against provincial health mandates up with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, to shouting expletives at protesters from a balcony, to simply banging a pot with a ladle in the face of demonstrators on a street corner. (n.b. some of these links include videos with foul language.)
The three grannies are Marika Morris and her neighbours, who were photographed standing in the street giving a thumbs down to a truck driver as he attempted to drive through their neighbourhood.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron, North and Navy chef and co-owner Adam Vettorel said he’d love to have these individuals over for dinner.
"They're just people that went viral through the occupation expressing their feelings toward the protesters, I guess I would say," he said. "And Zexi Li, obviously, the most effective unelected public official we have in Ottawa."
Vettorel says he's heard from customers and residents who know the individuals in question and they're working on getting in touch.
"Hopefully, within the next couple of days, we can pick a day when they want to come and we'll feed them dinner and get them a nice bottle of wine and show them our appreciation," he said.
Vettorel says he's excited about reopening.
"I don't want to jinx myself but it feels like things are better," he said. "I'm excited. By Wednesday, hopefully, we'll be as close to back to normal as we can and we can start getting back to business."
He says the occupation coming after two years of COVID-19 pandemic measures was awful but he's looking forward to welcoming customers back to his dining room.
"So far, the online reservations are coming in fast and I think there's a real desire for people to get out and enjoy some restaurants that they've been missing and some other businesses in Centretown that they've been missing," Vettorel said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.