Source: Entrepreneurs en Actions du Québec

Blainville, November 30, 2020 - Entrepreneurs in Action du Québec (EAQ) and the following signatory restaurateurs are asking Premier Francois Legault for the immediate opening of restaurants throughout Quebec. 

Following comments made by Quebec’s public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, last Friday during an interview with Jérôme Landry at FM93 radio station, he mentioned that in regards to the opening and the closing sequences of the businesses in question, the measures aren’t logically probative. He then went on to talk about recommendations based on simple risk analysis.

Blainville, November 30, 2020 - Entrepreneurs in Action du Québec (EAQ) and the following signatory restaurateurs are asking Premier Francois Legault for the immediate opening of restaurants throughout Quebec.  

Following comments made by Quebec’s public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, last Friday during an interview with Jérôme Landry at FM93 radio station, he mentioned that  in regards to the opening and the closing sequences of the businesses in question, the measures aren’t logically probative. He then went on to talk about recommendations based on simple risk analysis.

"So, we're asking you the question directly Dr. Arruda. Who, in your team has decided that our businesses are higher risk areas than all the shopping centres we see day after day crowded with thousands of people”  Asks Stéphane Boucher owner of the restaurant Aqua  in  Trois-Rivières.

Dr. Arruda's words coincided with the business day of the year called Black Friday. It then became even more difficult for us to hear such comments coming from a public health official when all the retail stores were full.  

"How do you want a restaurateur not to feel that he is being sacrificed without proof... as Dr. Arruda said,"   adds Samuel Grenier, EAQ spokesperson.

"It doesn't take a statistical genius to realize that it's illogical to keep restaurants closed," adds Mike Silks, owner of Petinos restaurant.

"We won't even talk about the lack of real follow-up of measures that the government is imposing when thousands of people were gathered in the same place at the same time. We are not targeting shopping centers, but the lack of logic and science behind these measures," stresses Benoit Girouard, spokesperson for the EAQ.

"Restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and all the closed shops have invested thousands of dollars to meet the standards you asked for. Result? You have closed us," adds Éric Champoux, owner of La Chambre Microbrewery Sportive in Terrebonne, Blainville and Repentigny.

"Is there a single study behind the purchase of plexiglass that are now currently sleeping in ourclosed restaurants?" adds John Zannis, owner of La Belle et la Boeuf à Saint-Jérôme.

Faced with the words of Dr. Arruda in regards to the precarious situation that we are all dealing with as restaurateurs, in  keeping us closed, is clearly saying that the government  has made a political choice to destroy an entire sector of our economy that contributes significantly to the economies of regions and major cities.

"After almost 2 months of closure, cases continue to increase. We're definitely not the problem," says Francis Rodrigue, owner of Jellyfish and 4 other restaurants.

“In addition, the EAQ has already proposed to the Prime Minister, to put in place defined time slots in the businesses in question, to accommodate those who are at higher risk. This system would provide a safe space, as well as in breaking the isolation of businesses.” “We never received a response”, states Benoit Girouard, spokesperson for the EAQ.

If the Prime Minister wants to prove that he is able capable of taking care of both our economy and public health, we ask him to announce, as soon as possible, the reopening of restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters. We promise that we will do our work conscientiously and that we are able to contribute to the public health of all Quebecers.

To conclude, we invite all restaurateurs, restaurant staff, and all those who want to support the EAQ, in signing the letter on our Facebook page: Ouvrez les restos.

Press contact: 

Benoit Girouard, porte-parole : 450-495-1910

Samuel Grenier, porte-parole : 450-420-2606

Éric Champoux, restaurateur : 514-236-9255

Vianney De Godbout-Lescouzères, restaurateur : 514-809-8511

English interview

Mike Sikellis, restaurateur : 514-583-7990

John Zannis, restaurateur : 514-892-3322

email : entrepreneursenactionduquebec@gmail.com

Ont signé…

Mike Sikellis (Petinos)

Billy Stergiou (Président EGGSQUIS déjeuner & dîner)

Vincent Guzzo (Président Cinémas Guzzo et restaurants Giulietta)

Francis Rodrigue (Restaurant Jellyfish,  Madame Thai, Giulietta et Magia)

John Zannis (La Belle et la Boeuf St-Jérome) 

Samuel Grenier et Stéphane Boucher (Aqua)

Vianney Godbout (Chasse galerie, Mignonette, Coeur de loup)

Mohamed lyazidi (Copperbranch Laval)

Éric Champoux (La Chambre Microbrasserie Sportive)

Guillaume Boutin (Restaurant Pho King Bon)

Simon Laflamme (Trattoria la Volta)

Lorène Lenglart et Mehdi Khardouche (BAM Café)

Abbas Sharif( White Rabbit et Mama’s Burger) 

Maya Bernatchez et Yannick Gagné (Café FOMO)

Feraidun Abdul Ali et Haroon Abdul Ali (Carlos & Pepe Blainville)

Alex Bastide (L’ Gros Luxe)

Thomas Bountis (Allo mon coco, Saint-Léonard)

Marie Josée Condrain  (Restaurant Le Maizonneuve, Fermeture complète dû au 1er confinement)

Cassandre Youinou (Du coté de chez Swann) 

Sébastien Abrieu (La grand-mère poule, Montréal et Mont-St-Hilaire)

Olivier Cardinal (Shack Attakk Mont-St-Hilaire)

Lynda Lacroix (Mikes Restaurant, Berthierville et St-Lin)

Céline Larrivée (Chez Pierre et Céline)

Martin Vaillancourt (Corsaire Microbrasserie, Corsaire Pub)

Brigitte Therrien (La porte d'à côté)

John Edward Gumbley (Bord’Elle et le Farsides)

Roberto Pesut (Jellyfish Crudo & Charbon, Les restaurants Fiorellino et le Porchetta)

Costa Hinoporos (40 West Steakhouse)

Joanna Kopty  (The Morning after)

Josée Gaudreau (Resto St-Augustin)

Patrick Simard (Pizza Maximum)

Caroline Langlois (Pub Amigo)

Francis St-Amour (Madiva Terrebonne)

Linda Servant (Le Madorick)

Pierre Cuerrier (Bar Chez Stanley) 

Philippe-Emmanuel Favron (Chez Victor rue St-Paul)

Peter Kafantaris (

Claude Zarie (Espace Artevino, Québec)

Kasandra Cherrier (Microbrasserie l’Entêté et Sucrerie Bonaventure)

Nicolas Garcia (Le Quartier Général Vieux Beloeil)

Diane Turgeon (La Bonne Fringale)

Nancy Lacharité (Rideau rouge et Phoenix du Parvis)

Amélie Gagnon, (Café Infusion)

Maria Bermudez,Sébastien Bourget (Café Arthur)

Patrice Pouliot (Mikes-Sainte-Marie)

Nicolas Buffolino (Giovannina)

Dimitry Boulanger (Mikes Saint-Nicolas)

Michael Laverdiere (Mikes et ThaiZone Sainte-Marie, Ben et Florentine Lévis et Saint-Romuald)

Julien Turmel (Resto Bar Tribon)

Benoit Filion (Bistro St-Charles et Pub La Chienne à Jacques)

Denis Larue (Mike's boul Laurier et rue Pierre-Bertrand, Québec.)

Claude Comtois (Restaurant la pomme verte)

Anthony Acena (Restaurant Le Soléo)

Suzanne Boutet (café O’marguerites)

Meryem Bench (Couscous Club)

Domenic Caporale (Bacaro Pizzeria Charlemagne)

Nancy Boucher (Restaurant Normandie)

Stoyan Napoleonov (Poulet Portugais)

Mylène Deschamps (Table champêtre Les rondins)

Ross Martucci (Bâton Rouge Lachenaie)

Jean Philippe Bouchard  (Pub chez Morse, Taverne Midway)

Audrey Marleau (Restaurant Le Bouillon /16)

Vincent Nguyen (Les restaurants Hoai Huong)

Martin Audit (3G Resto Bar)

Alla Sonin ( Restaurant Rasputin)

Gerald Jean et Ann Quenneville (Restaurant Fuzion Zen)

Martin Laroche (Café Du Marché)

Kathleen Normand (Bar du Central)

Thanh-Nam Pham (La Bêtise)

Cimon Murray, (Le Simonak)

Spyros Markakis (Casa Grecque Beauport)

Vicky Boisvert, (L’Établi Brasserie Urbaine)

Isabelle Champagne (resto 3 Crinckés lac Kenogami)

Véronique Huard  (Soupe moi ça)

Christian Lemieux (Mikes a Trois-Rivieres-Ouest)

Donavan Richard et Pierre-André Bédard (Madame Bovary et Restaurant Marina à Boucherville)

Jean-Marc Renaud (Le Roseline)

Sébastien Menard  (Jack saloon et Shack du pêcheur)

Alain Ejeil (Restaurant Bidon Taverne Culinaire et Kavala Taverne Grecque)

Georges Ejeil (Ginkgo café et bar)

Patrice Beaulieu, (Restaurant Baril Grill)

Linda Girard (Restaurant Les 400 Coups)

David Langelier , (Gros Luxe Longueuil)

Pierre-André Bédard (restaurant Madame Bovary)

Bruno Beaulieu (Ben et Florentine Terrebonne Grande Allée)

Karlyn Fournier (Chez Grand Man)

Qaisar Choudhry (resto Qaisar’s)

Michel Mendes (restaurant Le fin farfadet)