Tim Hortons faces boycott in Canada! The reason is surprisingly about vaccination??

Canadian Backlash Against Tim Hortons Over Vaccine Mandate

When it comes to coffee chains, most people might immediately think of Starbucks or Luckin Coffee. In Canada, north of the United States, however, people have traditionally taken pride in their national brand, Tim Hortons. Recently that attitude has reversed completely: Canadians have launched a boycott campaign against Tim Hortons, and the hashtag #BoycottTimHortons has generated heated discussion on Twitter. Some netizens have even called Tims a disgrace.

From that comment alone, you might wonder: isn't Tims the pride of Canada? Why has everyone suddenly turned against it?

According to a report by Newsweek, the #BoycottTimHortons hashtag appeared on Twitter's trending list last Saturday. The reason behind the trend was Tim Hortons' requirement that participants in its summer camp program be vaccinated.

A participant in the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps program, Tamara Ugolini, received an email several weeks ago stating: "Due to ongoing challenges and risks related to vaccines, we at Tims Camps have made the decision that all staff and camp participants must be vaccinated to participate in this year's summer camp."

After the announcement, the mother started a petition.

The petition noted that although the Canadian government no longer makes vaccination mandatory, Tim Hortons continues to enforce a policy requiring participants to be vaccinated, and it called on Tims to reverse this "excessive" policy.

As of 12:20 AM on May 11, 2022, local time, the petition had gathered 20,419 signatures toward a goal of 30,000.

Mark Friesen, who describes himself as a Canadian patriot and nationalist, posted a video on Twitter expressing disappointment with Tim Hortons for discriminating against children who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. He stated that if Tims doesn't change the rule, he will no longer buy any of its products. He also said vaccination is not necessary and poses potential health risks.

Some netizens pointed out that Tim Hortons' decision to allow only vaccinated children to attend its summer camp promotes segregation policies and cannot prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Others shared their boycott actions against Tims on Twitter, expressing support for the movement.

Some even protested by buying Tims coffee and then spilling it at the entrance of a Tim Hortons.

Some netizens noticed something odd about the reasons for boycotting Tims: when an American company acquired Tims, they stayed silent; when 40,000 jobs were cut, they stayed quiet; when the company lobbied against raising the minimum wage, they had nothing to say; when paid leave was canceled, they still remained silent. Yet when Tims wanted to protect immunocompromised children, they stood up to protest.

Other netizens explained who the participants of the Tims Foundation summer camps are, expressing confusion about those opposing Tims.

As for the online petition and the boycott campaign against Tim Hortons, neither Tim Hortons nor Tim Hortons Foundation Camps has responded.

Additional Information

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Chain politics aside, the everyday question for a coffee drinker is simply what to put in the grinder. If you're starting out in specialty coffee, Ethiopia is the traditional first stop. FrontStreet Sun-Dried Huakui and FrontStreet Washed Gedingding Cooperative cover the two sides of the country: Huakui, a natural-process Sidamo bean, leads with tropical fruit and fermented aromas - berry, floral, jackfruit, melon, and honey - while Gedingding, a washed Yirgacheffe, brings jasmine, lemon acidity, and berry notes.

Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, and its softer profile suits anyone who finds bright acidity too much. FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon delivers the creamy, peanut, and cocoa flavors typical of the country with a fine, mellow sweetness. FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate is grown at higher altitude from the rare Yellow Bourbon variety and adds sugarcane-like sweetness to that buttery, nutty base - enjoyable on its own or with milk.