Support for small businesses matters

Re: Cross: Commerce and COVID-19 — Why I won’t be shopping in your retail outlet, Aug. 13

I felt like I was reading something from an alternative news site endorsed by Donald Trump. It is hard to know where to begin with so many ridiculous statements.

“Elite bureaucrats turning COVID -19 from predicament to panic.” I don’t call millions of people dying in the world from the virus a predicament.

“Small businesses acquiescing to government shutdown.” Blaming the small-business owner for complying with the shutdown of our economy, a decision made thankfully to stop the spread of the virus for the common good, is beyond stupid. No one has borne the brunt of the impact of the shutdown more than the small-business owner. Our local businesses are indeed struggling. The owners are people with families trying to make a living.

Lands’ End and L.L. Bean are hardly unique shopping. Try shopping at Flock Boutique or Twiss and Weber to promote Canadian designers.

I understand the paper must feel it should publish different viewpoints, but to have such an article on its editorial page is so disrespectful and tone deaf to the struggles businesses in our community are experiencing. I am grateful businesses in Ottawa are taking measures to keep their customers safe at their cost, which affects their bottom line. I would think Ottawa’s newspaper would be highlighting our community’s small stores, encouraging us to shop local, rather than publishing an article that encourages online shopping.

Linda Thompson, Ottawa