Businesswoman Alexandra Stewart says she is receiving broad community support as she continues her fight with the North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit over non-compliance with provincial lockdown laws.
Stewart has three lawyers working on her case right now and says she is receiving support and encouragement from not only the citizens of North Bay but from across the country.
"I am seeing an unbelievable amount of community support, and as a result, my business is doing very well, for which I am so thankful," Stewart told BayToday. "I am fully committed to the fight I have undertaken. I believe that what is happening right now is so wrong, and I will do whatever I can do to stop it from happening."
The Health Unit asked that a restraining order be issued by the Superior Court of Justice against Stewart, owner, and operator of Stewart’s Decorating, which was granted May 21 and presented to her for non-compliance with a Section 22 Order.
The Health Unit had previously ordered the Regina St. business to close on April 17 when it issued a Section 22 Order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
See: Local anti-lockdown advocate receives a Restraining Order from Superior Court of Justice
And: Stewart's Decorating owner vows to fight Health Unit action
And: Stewart’s Decorating ordered closed by Health Unit for COVID non-compliance
"People know that not only do lockdowns not work, they are extremely harmful and the collateral damage from them is devastating," added Stewart.
"The impact the lockdowns are having on small businesses is disastrous. Every week I have small business owners calling me in distress. As a community, we need to work together to help these people and find a more balanced approach to the problems we are facing. I want to say to everyone out there that if they have a business and they need my help in any way I am ready and willing to help them. I have a group of people behind me who are willing to help as well. "
Stewart says moving forward everyone needs to strive toward an approach that works for everyone in the community.
"We need to think about the greater good of our community as a whole, especially our children, who have been so impacted by these lockdowns. We need to open schools and sports for kids and we need to open our businesses so that people can earn a living, support their loved ones, and be healthy. What is happening right now is making our citizens less healthy in every way, and it needs to stop."
Meanwhile, Louise Gagne, Executive Director of Community Services at the Health Unit gave a brief update on the situation during Thursday's weekly media availability.
Gagne confirmed the order, obtained by the Health Unit through the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, restrains owner Alex Stewart from further non-compliance with the Section 22 order issued in April.
The Health Unit made the application after "investigations by our public health inspectors indicated that Ms. Stewart had not complied," added Gagne. "The restraining order directs Ms. Stewart to operate as curbside-only — as stipulated in the stay-at-home order and the Reopening Ontario Act."
