Coffee shops often serve as the unofficial hubs of small towns. They are a place where friends meet to catch up, enemies meet to mend fences and communities gather to connect. All of this is certainly true of Blackwood Coffee Co. in Claresholm, Alberta.

Blackwood Coffee Co. occupies an old redbrick building in the heart of the small town, but it is smartly renovated such that it would be perfectly at home in a trendy neighborhood in any big city. The friendly staff who seemed to know the name of every we witnessed entering the shop reminded us that we were indeed in beautiful small-town Alberta. Even more than the great coffee and food it was immediately clear that people and relationships were at the core of this business.

When the vaccine passport system was rolled out across Alberta, owner Bryan never considered for a moment about excluding his customers. He wasn’t making a political point for or against vaccines, quite the opposite in fact, he was simply insisting that people’s private medical information is no business of his. He is not a doctor or a nurse, he makes food and coffee, and serves people without bias or discrimination.

Blackwood Coffee Co. has refused to become a political arm of enforcement for Alberta Health Services, it remains a coffee shop, a gathering place, and a hub for the community, as it should be.

If you are a business that refuses to discriminate against your clients, share your story with us at WeWontAsk.com.