Let there be dance: Montreal nightclub owners to protest Quebec’s dancing ban
Shuttered since March 2020, Montreal nightclubs have arguably been the worst hit businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and now owners are taking to the streets to demand they finally be allowed to welcome people back onto the dancefloor.
While restaurants and bars were rejoicing Thursday when the Quebec government unexpectedly announced that those businesses will be able to operate at 100 per cent capacity as of Nov. 1, nightclubs were snubbed from the soon-to-be relaxed health measures.
As of that date, bars will also be allowed to stay open until 3 a.m. instead of 2 a.m., however, dancing and karaoke are still banned under the current regulations.
Owners like Tommy Piscardelli, who owns Stereo, a landmark venue in Montreal nightlife for 23 years, say it was a slap in the face, particularly because of the controversy last weekend where thousands of maskless fans were seen dancing inside the Bell Centre at a Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias concert.
“It just made me even angrier because it's, like, now they've really singled [us out],” he said in an interview with CTV News on Friday.
“We are literally the last business to open in the whole city of Montreal.”
He said the last blow was the loss of the federal government subsidies, such as the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), which are due to expire on Oct. 23. That’s the same day Piscardelli and other bar owners have chosen to hold a large demonstration in Montreal.
The “Droit de danser” demonstration will look more like a parade, according to Piscardelli. Sound trucks will blast music as the crowd makes its way down Park Avenue starting at 2 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m., according to a Facebook event.
“We are not anti-virus, we are not anti-government, anti-vaccine, anti-anything — we're pro everything,” Piscardeli said.
“It's a festive parade. It's not — it's nothing negative. It's just to make some noise, to let people know we're here.”
Piscardelli said he would gladly enforce the vaccine passport at the door, and would even welcome an indoor masking policy if public health recommended it, as long as it means he can open his doors again.
The head of the bars association of Quebec is standing behind nightclub venues as well.
Jean-Jacques Beauchamp, president of the Quebec bars association, CPBBTQ, said he was also disappointed by the province’s announcement on Thursday.
“Why is there still no dancing and no karaoke in a bar?” he said Thursday, adding that he intends to take up the issues with Quebec officials next week.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services did not immediately respond to a request from CTV News about when dancing and karaoke would be permitted.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.