B.C. premier visits Langford restaurant after staff were verbally abused for enforcing health orders

B.C. Premier John Horgan visited a Langford restaurant and chatted with employees after they were reportedly harassed for enforcing provincial COVID-19 health orders.

Last week, Mr. Mikes Steakhouse in Langford wrote in a now-removed post on Facebook, that two of its young employees were verbally assaulted to the point of tears after separating a large group that arrived at the establishment.

The group was well above the six-person per table limit set out by the province as part COVID-19 health and safety protocols and had to be split into two smaller groups, which apparently upset them.

“Although we made accommodations to have them split into two tables … these guests then proceeded to verbally attack our two young hosts to the point of tears,” Mr. Mikes wrote on Facebook.

On Friday, Horgan dropped into the restaurant and spoke with owners and employees who were present during the incident.

Horgan’s appearance came a day after he called the behaviour by the group at Mr. Mikes disappointing and unacceptable.

“Obviously very disappointed that bad behaviour continues before the pandemic, during the pandemic and sadly it will likely continue after the pandemic,” Horgan said on Aug. 6. “You’ve got employees that are doing their level best to provide an opportunity for people to come together, to share a meal in a safe comfortable place and to have idiots come in and be idiots is quite frankly is not acceptable. I’m very disappointed about it.”

Horgan, who is the MLA for the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding, also said everyone in B.C. needs to do better and treat others with respect.

“We all have to up our game. We have to be kinder to each other. We have to behave with other people as we would want them to behave with us and it’s not acceptable to abuse people when you’re going out to have a meal; when you’re doing anything quite frankly,” he said. “There’s a whole host of stories that are emerging about bad behaviour during this pandemic and unfortunately, they overshadow the extraordinary stories of kindness that are emerging in every part of British Columbia as well. I’d like to focus on those moments when people’s better angels are shining forward rather than those moments like the Mr. Mike’s incident when people are just being stupid.”

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