Ontario Gov't tells Union Local 613 to change its name [General]
2012 Oct 22
Love these guys, but ask myself whether this is possibly a smart bit of marketing on their part. Their website is union613.ca and I don't see "local" on their sign either. In fact, I was surprised when I first learned that their name had "local" in it at all. It seems they'll be able to bounce back pretty easily.
There, I've just added to the buzz and given everyone their URL. Mission accomplished ;)
That being said, I hang my head in shame on behalf of bureaucrats everywhere (though the government's position is pretty solid).
There, I've just added to the buzz and given everyone their URL. Mission accomplished ;)
That being said, I hang my head in shame on behalf of bureaucrats everywhere (though the government's position is pretty solid).
2012 Oct 22
momomoto: I think the province could probably do better at applying the spirit, as opposed to the letter here (in fact, I think I implied as much). But there's really no arguing the letter, which Ivan acknowledges. And I was just pointing out that, the facts being what they are, they're handling this very astutely to get themselves some favourable press. There's nothing ad hominem about that, though I was overly glib. I get that it results in a loss of the original intent as far as the brotherhood notion and that, creatively, it sucks. From a business point of view, however, their food is still great and very few people will be the wiser about the change given that "local" was never as prominent a part of their public persona as "union". As for me, it's still one of my fave places in town and I'd go no matter what it was called.
2012 Oct 23
Cardamom - I think one of the problems is this is a strange rule/law that is being applied to one restaurant, but not others. In Ottawa we have the 'Liquor Store' and 'Fire Station' - one is not a store and the other is not a fire station, both are just night clubs. I would assume there are hundreds of businesses that are also misleading in their naming.
2012 Oct 23
What complete horseshit that is. What the hell difference does it make? Who, other than the restaurant owners, is going to be disadvantaged even if someone is dumb enough to make the mistake of not realising that it's a restaurant/bar?
If they're going to do this then I shall also demand that they force Blue Cactus to change its name as I have often mistaken it for a garden centre, and have you ever tried to buy cigarettes at Smoque Shack?
If they're going to do this then I shall also demand that they force Blue Cactus to change its name as I have often mistaken it for a garden centre, and have you ever tried to buy cigarettes at Smoque Shack?
2012 Oct 23
Have you ever lived anywhere other than Ontario? Trust me, it's the same or worse in a lot of other places. We only ever hear about the occasional crazy case of excessive zeal on the part of the civil service and not the colossal amount of good things they do.
Not that that makes this any less stupid, it just isn't the police state that some people might have us think.
Not that that makes this any less stupid, it just isn't the police state that some people might have us think.
2012 Oct 23
Yes, I've lived in a few provinces west of Ontario. Trust me Ontario is the worst (can't speak for the east), and the city of Ottawa ranks right up there too. Too many bureaucrats. Here is another example - for BBQ competitions in Ontario, if you want to have a peoples choice event, you can't just hand out the meat you've cooked, you have to have a catering setup, certified by the whatever the health code is. This includes having a floor - for an outdoor event. In Quebec, no such regulation. Yeah no one wants to get sick, but tell me why you have to server from a portable floor for BBQ? I'm sure there are lots of other examples.
2012 Oct 23
I dunno Sourdough, BC has some pretty archaic laws..I find BC to be the worst because they'll institute some really progressive and forward thinking by-laws while keeping some strange anachronistic ones on the books.
These may have been changed, I last lived in BC in 2007:
Bar Patio's of a certain size are not allowed to have achohol on them after 10pm. (very Frustrating if you're sitting on the ocean in the suimmer and you're told to move inside.
If you are classified as a Pub, Grill, Cafe (any lisenced establishment other than a restaurant) you cannot have patrons under 19 on your premises agfter 6pm.
These may have been changed, I last lived in BC in 2007:
Bar Patio's of a certain size are not allowed to have achohol on them after 10pm. (very Frustrating if you're sitting on the ocean in the suimmer and you're told to move inside.
If you are classified as a Pub, Grill, Cafe (any lisenced establishment other than a restaurant) you cannot have patrons under 19 on your premises agfter 6pm.
2012 Oct 23
Heh. Ottawa seems to be made up of two kinds of people - civil servants, and people who hate civil servants. Strange place sometimes.
It's an isolated incident of over-zealous regulation that has been rightly pilloried and will undoubtedly be overturned, but let's not turn it into anything bigger than it is.
It's an isolated incident of over-zealous regulation that has been rightly pilloried and will undoubtedly be overturned, but let's not turn it into anything bigger than it is.
2012 Oct 23
Hate weird BC rules. We were in Victoria two years ago and weren't allowed to have our son in a pub. So we could never go for a pub lunch and enjoy a local beer, we were stuck going to only restaurants. The beer selection in restaurants was sub-par and we missed going to some great spots. It was really frustrating. We love checking out the local scene when traveling.
2012 Oct 23
To clarify, I was referring to Alberta and Manitoba. However I will add that I'm sure all provinces have frustrating rules with various aspects of things that impact your lives.
Bacon I.V. - yeah the language gestapo in Quebec is pretty bad, and I hear you can't even offer them hush money :)
Bacon I.V. - yeah the language gestapo in Quebec is pretty bad, and I hear you can't even offer them hush money :)
2012 Oct 26
news.nationalpost.com
Q: Then there’s your restaurant’s tagline: “brotherhood of growers, cookers, eaters…”
A: That speaks to what we’re trying to create when we were designing the restaurant as a place where everyone would get together. That’s why we go for communal seating in the restaurant. You come in with a party of two and you’ll be seated with other people.
Q: Do you think the word “brotherhood” could be construed as too gender-specific and you get slapped with a human-rights complaint?
A: I don’t know, I haven’t thought about that (laughs). hahahha good response to a silly question
Q: Then there’s your restaurant’s tagline: “brotherhood of growers, cookers, eaters…”
A: That speaks to what we’re trying to create when we were designing the restaurant as a place where everyone would get together. That’s why we go for communal seating in the restaurant. You come in with a party of two and you’ll be seated with other people.
Q: Do you think the word “brotherhood” could be construed as too gender-specific and you get slapped with a human-rights complaint?
A: I don’t know, I haven’t thought about that (laughs). hahahha good response to a silly question
2012 Oct 31
"Do you think the word “brotherhood” could be construed as too gender-specific and you get slapped with a human-rights complaint?"
Baha! I was in Harvey's the other day and noticed the garbage can cover had a stick figure which looked male. I wondered how much money I could get if I sued ;)
Ridiculous. They are just words. I like the original name.
Baha! I was in Harvey's the other day and noticed the garbage can cover had a stick figure which looked male. I wondered how much money I could get if I sued ;)
Ridiculous. They are just words. I like the original name.
AD_2
"Ontario gov has revoked our name as it might confuse some gov clerks into thinking it is there (sic) union lounge"