With the province乌鸦传媒檚 announcement that proof of vaccination will be needed to access non-essential services, local businesses are taking the brunt of people乌鸦传媒檚 frustration.

Recently, an Instagram account surfaced called discriminatorybusinessesbc, where businesses in B.C. that will require proof of vaccination from patrons are publicly shamed. Followers are being asked to boycott businesses profiled on the account.

Kelowna restaurant Frankie We Salute You was recently profiled by the account, alleging the restaurant supports 乌鸦传媒渟egregation.乌鸦传媒�

Owner Christina Skinner said it all started when plans for the vaccine card were announced on Aug. 30.

乌鸦传媒淲e started receiving inquiries from people asking about what our status (on the card) would be and saying if we were choosing to follow the mandate, they would boycott us and encouraged others to do the same,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 an interesting choice of words. 乌鸦传媒楥hoosing to follow the mandate乌鸦传媒�? It乌鸦传媒檚 not like businesses have much of a choice on the matter.乌鸦传媒�

Skinner said instead of ignoring the threat, they decided to respond.

乌鸦传媒淲e said we don乌鸦传媒檛 actually know what the mandate will entail. We don乌鸦传媒檛 know what the expectations are, how it will work.

乌鸦传媒淩ather than understanding the situation, they chose to accept that we would be 乌鸦传媒榮upporting the mandate乌鸦传媒� and they chose to boycott us, shame us on social media by saying we乌鸦传媒檙e supporting discrimination.乌鸦传媒�

She said this isn乌鸦传媒檛 the first time boycotts and threats have happened at Frankie乌鸦传媒檚, either, with the restaurant乌鸦传媒檚 staff being harassed before by anti-maskers.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a very small percent of the population, but they乌鸦传媒檝e just made my staff乌鸦传媒檚 quality of life miserable. My staff have been insulted and threatened and even if that just happens to someone once a week, that乌鸦传媒檚 still a lot. It乌鸦传媒檚 exhausting,乌鸦传媒� she said.

But just like the community rallied around them when Frankie乌鸦传媒檚 was targeted by anti-maskers, Skinner said they have received an outpouring of support recently too.

In the end, she said asking if businesses are 乌鸦传媒渇ollowing the mandate乌鸦传媒� is not the question to ask.

乌鸦传媒淚f there乌鸦传媒檚 a problem with the government mandate, then take it to your vote. Instead of punishing small businesses, we should ask 乌鸦传媒榃hat am I doing to support businesses, what am I doing to support health care workers and what am I doing to take care of the sick and the elderly?乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒�

READ MORE: Kelowna mayor condemns anti-vax card protest at hospital

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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