A truck out front of J Rocks Bar and Grill on Box Springs Boulevard displays a sign reading "STAND UP, SPEAK OUT, FIGHT BACK AGAINST ALL LOCKDOWNS, MANDATORY MASKS, MANDATORY VACCINES." The sign also reads WWG1WGA in smaller print, a well known reference to the group QAnon.--NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN
ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi
Some restaurants in Medicine Hat are choosing to defy the province’s new public health restrictions when they come into effect on Friday.
J-Rocks Bar and Grill opened six weeks ago and has a sign outside its restaurant urging a fight back against lockdowns, mandatory masks and mandatory vaccines.
On Thursday, the restaurant posted it will be holding a rally in its parking lot today and Saturday to support the restaurant. The Facebook post asks people to make signs and uses the hashtags #ENDTHELOCKDOWNS and #ENOUGHISENOUGH.
Signage is also posted on the restaurant’s door saying there are certain staff who can not wear face coverings and if it’s an issue they will have a masked staff member deliver the order to your car.
J-Rocks Bar and Grill isn’t alone, as Lela’s Place the Chocolate Shop’s Facebook page says they are considering staying open for in-house dining and asked for the public’s opinion.
Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes and Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Glasgo are among 15 MLAs in the province to sign a statement denouncing the government’s decision to move back to stage one restrictions. However, both are asking businesses to follow the government’s public health orders.
“As an MLA, as a citizen, I respect the rule of law and expect it to be applied,” said Glasgo. “I understand that people are frustrated but I would encourage them to follow the restrictions, as they have real consequences if not.”
Barnes is also asking people to respect rules of law and follow them. He says the best way to address the situation is to contact him by phone or email and he will advocate for safe businesses to open.
Alberta Health Services sent a statement to the News and says it has been made aware some businesses plan to not follow COVID-19 restrictions, including businesses in the Medicine Hat Area.
“The risks posed by people and businesses choosing to defy public health orders are very real, particularly given the rise in cases involving more contagious variants,” the statement reads.
“We continue to strongly urge everyone to follow the public health restrictions. The best way to reduce the spread of both the original strain of COVID-19 and variants of concern is to reduce our number of contacts, wear well-fitted masks, maintain physical distancing, avoid large gatherings, wash your hands and stay home if not feeling well.”
Although Glasgo and Barnes urge businesses to comply with public health orders, they still believe restrictions should be loosened.
“Like Texas, or like Florida, Alberta can be the beacon for all of Canada,” said Barnes. “We value freedom, we value civil liberties and opportunities. Let’s start to move, protecting the vulnerable, let’s start to move towards Alberta being the freest and most prosperous place.”
Barnes and Glasgo both say they have received an overwhelming amount of support for reduced restrictions in their constituencies.
“Lots of people are realizing 14 months into this that compliance is harder and harder, realizing we have a hospital down here that is not overwhelmed and realizing we have other challenges. So, the vast, vast majority are supportive of a regional approach to COVID,” said Barnes.
Glasgo says she understands and recognizes COVID-19 is a real threat to the province, specifically to the most vulnerable, but the level of threat is different for different people.
“My constituents have asked me to be their voice in the legislature – not the legislature’s voice to them,” said Glasgo. “So, I will continue to stand up for my constituents in any way that I can, and I want to continue to do the things they’ve asked me to do and be bold and decisive.”
