Chinook Centre Breastfeeding Policy

Chinook Centre Breastfeeding Policy

December 6, 2015

6455 Macleod Tr SW

Calgary AB T2H 0K8

Attention: Stacie Woolford, Marketing Manager

Reference:  Chinook Centre Breastfeeding Policy

A local mom visited the Santa at Chinook mall on around 11am on Saturday Dec 5, 2015. She registered for her daughter to meet Santa and waited in the play area, where she breastfed her daughter. The mom was approached by a female employee and was told the dad felt uncomfortable with a mother nursing and asked if she had a nursing cover, to which the mom replied she did not. The employee asked if the mom would cover with a jacket, to which the mother again declined.

This was an incident of discrimination, and illegal in Canada. The right to breastfeed is protected under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Alberta’s Human Rights Act. Alberta’s Human Rights Commission recently clarified its advice to retailers, reminding them that breastfeeding is an integral part of being a mother and that retailers must allow breastfeeding in a public area, and must not ask women to cover up or move.

Whether or not the employee was a Chinook mall employee, we would encourage an apology to the mother, and creation or enforcement of an official breastfeeding policy for your mall. We would be happy to assist you in creating a policy, and help to make Chinook a family-friendly mall.

We look forward to your thoughts and reply.

With Regards,

Jennifer House  MSc RD – Co-Chair

Jennifer Peddlesden  BcPharm IBCLC – Political Action Committee

Calgary Breastfeeding Matters Group Foundation