The government must quickly introduce proportionate fines directly targeting consumers who do not wear facemasks, say organizations representing merchants and businesses who demand flexibility.
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In force as of Saturday, wearing a face cover is now compulsory in enclosed public places, but merchants are worried about having to play the role of peace officers.
More than a dozen organizations pleaded on Saturday for Quebec to adjust the situation and empower individuals.
“Logic dictates that we pay for our own faults and not for those of others. The same logic should apply to this new obligation, “said Gopinath Jeyabalaratnam of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
While they agree on the importance and the need to put in place better measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, these organizations, representing almost all businesses, call for citizen responsibility.
They therefore regret that dissuasive measures targeting consumers have not been introduced, particularly in the short term.
“When retailers have proven that they act responsibly in the sanitary measures imposed, why do we now feel the need to impose fines on them to apply the measure of the wearing of masks by customers?” wondered Stéphane Drouin, Director General of the Quebec Retail Council (CQCD).
The organizations wanted to recall that “so far, all the risks and stress related to the application of the rules rest with the employees and operators of the businesses”.
“Certain businesses, already at the end of their resources, will once again have to draw on already empty pockets in order to allocate personnel to the police function that the government imposes on us. Don’t throw it away, the yard is full, “said Marc Fortin, President of the Retail Council of Canada – Quebec (CCCD).
David Lefebvre, Vice-President of Federal Affairs for Quebec at Restaurants Canada did not hesitate to argue that “the precedent created is dangerous”.
“It makes no sense that restaurant workers are responsible for wearing a mask for customers and that the only fines or penalties exclude individuals who may be at fault,” he said.
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