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My husband & I were talking tonight about some of our favourite #yeg restaurants & bars, worried about which ones will make it through this. See, we both spent many years working in the hospitality industry. In fact, it's how we met. #ableg
I always say that I grew up in restaurants. My dad trained in hotel mgmt & when he came to Canada, he ran hotels & restaurants. It's what brought my family from Ontario to Alberta when I was 4. At a young age, I was taught how to behave properly in a restaurant & try new foods.
I worked in restaurants & bars for years to pay my way through university. My husband did the same & was an owner of a bar on Whyte Ave, where we met. Many of our dearest friends to this day are those we met in the "industry". And we learned incredible skills we still use now.
I say this because I have a deep love for the hospitality industry. It's part of the best experiences of my life. And I've also always understood its fragility - for both the owners & the employees. It's why I worry so deeply for the industry now.
And it's because of my love for the people who take the risks to throw their heart & soul into opening a restaurant and for those who work endless hours often for low wages & little appreciation that I am frustrated by the UCP's failure to protect them & their livelihoods.
By letting contact tracing collapse, forcing servers & owners to enforce confusing restrictions, allowing community spread which rightly reduces public confidence in going out & denying these businesses & employees direct financial supports, the gov't is ensuring their failure.
Those who work in restaurants - whether front or back of house - have little to no job security or ability to walk away from paid work because they feel unsafe. Owners feel little choice but to keep their doors open to pay the bills.
Failing to control COVID does NOT help businesses. It drags out their demise and allows the virus to spread. What would help is the measures for small businesses that we've been calling for - https://www.albertasfuture.ca/albertas-future/covid-19-campaigns/post/covid-19-supports-for-small-business.
If we want to help businesses survive, we have to beat COVID. We need to provide real support to them & their employees. That's how we support the economy. By supporting people. I don't want to hear about another restaurant closing. I love the industry too much. #ableg
