Taxi drivers shut down traffic on Wednesday, calling the government corrupt and Premier Philippe Couillard a liar for allowing Uber to operate in Quebec while, they say, skirting the rules of a system already in its favour.
"I would punch him in the face, [Premier] Philippe Couillard, because I'm suffering because of him," said Giuseppe Rucci, who owns a fleet of 10 taxis, when asked what he would say to the premier over the recent changes to the taxi business brought on by the arrival of Uber in Quebec.
About 100 to 150 taxi drivers descended on Montreal's downtown on Wednesday, closing busy streets to traffic as they made their way to the offices of Transport Quebec.
Many had different demands, but the unifying message from all was that Uber—which had already taken away so much from them—was profiting from unfairness in the system.
"If you want to do something, it has to be for everyone. I cannot play poker while someone has four cards and I have two—I cannot beat you," said Soheil Rahgozar, a computer engineer when he isn't driving a cab.
Rahgozar and several other cab drivers at the downtown march said the current rules in play for the industry allows for Uber and Teo Taxi an advantage: while individual drivers cannot rent their taxi permits, Uber shares them indiscriminately while Teo is able to rent them without issue.
They say they want that to change.