MONTREAL – When Dean Nobes and his wife, Rita Szathmary, heard there would be no calèches in Montreal this summer, they headed to the Old Port from Lanaudière with their children for one more ride.
READ MORE: No calèches in Montreal for a year: Denis Coderre
“We wanted our children to at least experience it, especially our two little ones,” said Szathmary.
The couple said they feel sad that Montreal is losing part of its history, but more than that, their hearts go out to the drivers.
“It’s like forcing all the calèche drivers on unemployment for no reason,” Szathmary said.
“I mean, they didn’t do anything. They’re losing their jobs for a year. I don’t think it’s justified.”
Calèche driver Danny Seguin doesn’t think so either.
READ MORE: Calèche horse, car collide in Griffintown, sparking debate over safety
“I’ve been doing this for 25 years – so this is all my life,” he said, adding he has no idea what he’ll do next.
Last Wednesday, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre announced a one-year moratorium on calèches.
WATCH BELOW: Calèche debate in Montreal
The ban came after a number of accidents involving horses, including one that collided with a car in Griffintown last month.
Seguin insists it isn’t fair for all drivers to be penalized because of a few bad apples.
READ MORE: Protesters demand Montreal ban calèche horses
“We know that some drivers and owners don’t do their job as they should and I think it’s bad that everyone has to pay for these guys,” Seguin said.
Fellow driver, Denis Murray, insists his future is in the calèche industry.
READ MORE: Drivers insist calèche ban could mean ‘death sentence’ for Montreal’s horses
“I don’t know where I’ll go work now,” he said.
“This is my future. I’ve been a driver for 21 years. I could lose my home, my car. I could lose it all.”
Caleche owners will gather at Montreal city hall on Tuesday to protest the ban.
They also plan on filing an injunction in the hopes that the courts will allow them to continue operating.
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