Kirpan-carrying Sikhs ordered to leave store
Harpal Gill says in the 16 years he's lived in Canada, he has never been told to leave a store because of his kirpan, a ceremonial dagger carried by Sikh men.
That changed Sept. 8 when he and his friend Joginder Sidhu went into the Dollarama store on Jefferson Avenue and were stopped by staff and security and told they could not enter with their kirpans.
"It is my religious symbol. How can you stop me?" Gill asked the manager of the Dollarama.
The kirpan is a religious symbol carried by devout Sikh men and they're allowed to carry them in Canada.
"I show her and she said, 'It is a weapon, a knife; it is dangerous,'" Gill said.
Despite the fact the two have been in the store many times before, they were told to leave.
"It is allowed in the legislature, it is allowed in the federal government," Gill said.
Gill and Sidhu then went to the Manitoba Legislature to speak with NDP-Maples MLA Mohinder Saran.
With his help, they filed a human rights complaint against Dollarama, claiming discrimination.
Gill said he has been allowed in the Manitoba Legislative Building and even courts with his kirpan.
He hopes his complaint will help teach people who work in stores such as Dollarama that the kirpan is part of his religion and his ability to wear it is protected.
A spokesperson at the Dollarama head office said this is the first time there has been an issue in any of their stores across Canada.
Lila Radmanovich, who works for Dollarama's media relations, said the company has a customer service policy that does not allow discrimination based on ethnicity or religion.
The company has reached out to the Manitoba Sikh Society and offered apologies to the men.
The company is now working with staff and security at the Winnipeg store to teach them the company's policy, Radmanovich said.
