The imposition of the vaccine passport in supermarkets from January 24 has alarmed booksellers.
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Renault Braille leaders said they resented Thursday’s action by Quebec Premier Francois Legault, seeing it as unfair and punishing Quebecers.
The government has misjudged the effects of this policy. “It prefers small bookshops, whose commercial offer is restricted and limited,” said Blaise Renault, president of the Renault Brae Group.
“We have no information on the duration of this measure. It is therefore impossible to assess the extent of the negative impacts on the audience and players in the book series. We therefore urge the government to suspend this measure in the book sector.
From January 24, Quebec residents will be required to present their vaccination passport to gain access to businesses of more than 1,500 square metres.
Many Renaud-Bray strands have an area this large. But the latest measures risk forcing these big booksellers to reduce their working hours and limit access to many of their points of sale.
Moreover, the measure risks directly affecting Quebec authors, illustrators and publishers who are in these institutions, the booksellers said in a press release on Friday.
Overall, there is reason to wonder whether the latest measures will have a real impact on the health care plan. And if so, whether the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages arising from restricted access to culture. In our eyes, the government has made no convincing offer for this thing,” Renault Brae leaders wrote.
