An Alberta café owner says his business has shuttered after he hosted an Alberta separatism event and lost customers.
John Ewanek said his café in Cold Lake, called Beantrees, was already struggling due to inflation.
He said things got worse after he hosted multiple events earlier this year for a group collecting signatures for a petition seeking a referendum on whether Alberta should quit Canada.
After those events, Ewanek said customers who didn’t agree with his opinions stopped coming and he eventually closed the business.
“It was just a nail in the coffin,” the 55-year-old said.
“I probably lost about 15 per cent of my revenue and never recovered from that.”
He said musicians who were scheduled to perform at his café also cancelled their appearances, and someone left a sign with an expletive outside condemning the separatist events.
Ewanek closed the café, which had been a popular hub in Cold Lake since 1999, in late June and is now selling his assets to stay afloat.
He said he bought the business from the previous owner in 2024.
Elections Alberta announced last week the petition by the separatist group Stay Free Alberta was successful. The agency said it verified nearly 223,000 signatures out of almost 280,000 valid names counted. It needed almost 178,000 signatures to be successful.
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has cited the separatist petition and a competing pro-Canada petition as the reason why she has put a separation question on the province’s Oct. 19 referendum.
The question asks Albertans whether they want to remain in Canada or hold a second, binding referendum on leaving the country.
Ewanek said he plans to vote in favour of having a second referendum on Alberta’s place in Canada because he is a separatist.
“I believe separation is the way.”
He said he joined Alberta’s so-called freedom movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said he disagreed with the public health measures put in place by Ottawa to curb the virus, including mask mandates.
“It really affected me personally because I have anxiety issues and not seeing faces really affected me,” he said.
Ewanek claimed Alberta should also leave Canada largely because Ottawa has mismanaged Canada’s food system. He said not enough food is grown domestically and it’s highly processed.
“I just can’t even touch commercial chicken anymore. It’s just disgusts me,” he said.
He said he doesn’t regret hosting the separatist events, which saw fewer than a dozen signatories.
“Even if we don’t separate, I mean, we ought to talk about this stuff, you know? People don’t want to talk about it.”
Polls have suggested a large majority of Albertans want to stay in Confederation, but the debate is splitting communities.
A rodeo parade in the town of Sundre, northwest of Calgary, was cancelled last month amid threats and abuse after parade organizers rejected a float festooned with Alberta flags.
A pro-separation billboard in the southern town of Taber also garnered attention that same month.
Separatist Cory Morgan, who paid for the billboard, refused to take it down despite an order from the town claiming it’s a public nuisance.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has opposed the separation push and described the fall vote as a “dangerous bluff.”
He has compared it to Brexit in the U.K., adding that separatists are making unrealistic promises and refuse to acknowledge the pitfalls of separation.
🤣
Heck yea! Elbows up.
We are the fourth largest producer of food in the entire world. Not by percentage of people either, entire food production. What he should be mad at is how nobody invested in companies north of the border to process it, so we ship it all south to be processed and then by it back. This is typical for us here in Alberta, we have half baked information, then we blame the government because Alberta is nothing but a Conservative Echo Chamber. What’s really sad in all this is how this guy lost his business and looks like a bad guy in all this, and he’s probably a pretty awesome guy.
more liberal propaganda with out Alberta they cant stock pile millions into their bank accounts
This gentleman exercise his right to free speech. Free speech allows you speak out against authority without fear of authority it does not however mean without consequences.
Not to worry, when ALBERTA separates every shop will give you 20 cartridges for your assault rifle for every $1000 spent
So the separatists don’t like coffee? Or don’t have the money to buy coffee since Trudeau took it all?
I guess the separatists aren’t much liked in Alberta? I consider them a treasonous lot. Glad FOREVER CANADA essentially boycotted the Cold Lake cafe.
Cold Lake exists because of the Federal Government. Not a good place to have an Alberta Flag outside your business. Too much hatred of Alberta.
Seems the separatists are mostly convoy supporters who think their privileges are more important than their fellow citizen’s rights. We really should be teaching civics.
So there wasn’t enough separatists in Cold Lake to keep your business alive?? I suspect that is the same for the rest of the province. #Boycott Alberta separatists businesses#
The media fools these malcontents into thinking their position has more support than it actually does by presenting ‘both sides’ in an effort to create engagement. Disruptors show up in the comments to foment discord feeding into the same distortion.
“Experts confirm that vaccines prevent disease. We spoke with a man in [Smallville] who’s not so sure.”
The 2 sides are not equal.
Guess what… now he’s going to jump on the system to get a free socialist ride and guess what, WE the canadians will give him the free ride because WE are waaaaayyy different than his MAGA shitamerican wannabe friends!
Hey Bud! You now have plenty of time to be a separatist and try to ditch your fellow people who love this country and don’t get sick about greed and selfishness… have fun!
Cold Lake restaurant closes because his food and service went downhill
Karma baby. Good on ya!
Buh bye
Funny how the Albertabaman separatists here, convoy-lovin’ freedumb-fighters to a man, feel that more intellegent citizens who don’t believe their lies should still be compelled to support separatist businesses and shouldn’t have free choice as to where they spend their money. Certainly gives one pause to wonder what other citizenship rights are the separatists secretly plan to take away from us with their massive MAGA backing?
The tolerant left closes him down because he’s trying to keep his business afloat….Sounds about right where this country is headed …
Maybe Trump can help
Careful what you wish for !
Maybe Trump can help you
choices have consequences
Actions have consequences.
Plus, the separatists should consider themselves lucky to be Canadian citizens and stop complaining about these minor issues that could easily be addressed and solved as a Canadian citizen. They’re stuck with their blinders on only seeing the small stage of the small redneck village thinking that’s what life and being a Canadian is all about. There is way more to the world then their small corner and they should be on their knee licking Carney’s boots thanking him and every other Canadian that we haven’t kicked them out of Canada or worse for treason. Being a Canadian is something to be extremely greatful for and not spitting in the face of Canada and it’s citizens by trying to make a whole province not Canadian. You don’t want to be a Canadian, fine. The US border is just to south or there is a plane that can take you anywhere else. I guarantee the grass is not is not greener and that you shouldn’t be defecating on Canada’s lawn with you treasonous actions. You’re entitled to you’re opinon but now you are threatening my freedom of being a Canadian citizen. I will defend my freedom of being Canadian by any means necessary at this point because your opinion is now considered a danger action towards my rights and privileges of a Canadian. It is now my duty and responsibility to defend myself and Canada from the separatists.
These separatists are not thinking clearly about all aspects which separation would entail. They think they can remove themselves from Canada but keep all the rights, benefits and privileges of being a Canadian citzen. It’s a pipedream full if diluted and inaccurate claims and dreams. Let’s keep their dreams in their heads and not make it a reality the majority of us don’t want. To be honest, we shouldn’t even be entertaining the idea in October and let these old farmers keep dreaming alone on their farms until the day they die.
TRUMP 2028, make Canada great again. Nobody here will.
I wonder does he regret this act. He would have still had his vote during a referendum. He still will have his vote, but it’s quite a price. I am a person who votes with my wallet. And I’m not trying to be cruel but I would have stayed away as well
Business owner decided to take his business into politics. He made his bed.
Canada means freedom of choice. Not freedom of consequence.
Cancel culture fatigue
Whatever happened to civilized debate ?
He’s got anxiety and not seeing face’s really effected him???? What a pathetic snowflake
As you should! We are Canadians as well as Albertans!
FAFO
Say all you want.
Money talks louder!
“…not seeing faces really affected me.” Congrats, redneck trash, that is the wimpiest excuse for not agreeing with masks I’ve ever heard. I’ve you’re going to lie, and that’s a lie, try to make up an excuse that doesn’t make you sound like a wimp.
There’s the socialist left showing their colors again.