Thought of the Day - January 14 - Coping with a Curfew

As I am sure you are aware, Québec implemented an 8pm to 5am month-long curfew starting this past Saturday, January 9th. With cases & positive test rates on the rise, and hospitalization admissions following suit, it is hoped the curfew will stop areas of the province returning to the dire state experienced earlier last year.

Québec said that residents will be required to provide proof of what they are doing if they are found outside the house after curfew. Exemptions are provided for the homeless, essential workers (they need a note from their employer), those seeking medical attention (with receipt from drug store or hospital card), or walking a dog.

Yes you heard that right, walking a dog. Indeed "rental dogs" are being advertised, so people can go out and about in the evening. A Sherbrooke couple found out the hard way that having your husband on a leash is not an acceptable substitute. Not far from the story out of Czech Republic, that has had a similar curfew, being caught using a "stuffed dog".

Of course the challenge is enforcement. Without it compliance may be less than needed. That said, hard luck stories are starting to emerge as people are receiving significant fines. For example a Montreal family on their way back from New Brunswick were given over $3,000 in tickets on the first night of the curfew. It seems their car had broken down in NB a few days earlier. They informed the NB officials that their stay would be extended waiting for parts (they were driving a German car). Finally, they decided to rent a car to try to get back due to growing restrictions in NB, but did not make it home before curfew. They were pulled over at 10pm and issued two $1,550 tickets. Too bad the couple did not have a dog with them.

Cheers

Cliff

P.S. On Tuesday new restrictions were announced in Ontario; a curfew was not one of the measures introduced. Instead, they have chosen to restrict hours or shut businesses, delay school opening in the south of the province, and issue a loosely-worded "stay-at-home" order.