The World Sikh Organization of Canada acknowledged a public apology issued by William Osler Health System regarding an incident at Brampton Civic Hospital in late August, when a Sikh patient’s beard was shaved.
The WSO said last month that Joginder Singh Kaler’s beard was shaved by hospital staff without his consent and in violation of his religious beliefs.
Shaving or the removal of hair is a violation of the beliefs of practising Sikhs. The WSO said Kaler, 85, had never before shaved or cut his beard until the incident in August.
The WSO said it appreciates that the William Osler Health System has accepted full responsibility for this breach of Kaler’s rights and has committed to preventing such incidents from happening in the future.
“The incident involving Mr. Kaler was both unacceptable and deeply shocking,” said WSO president Danish Singh in a statement.
“While the error was irreversible, along with the pain caused to Mr. Kaler and his family, we are hopeful that this unfortunate event can lead to positive changes, ensuring that the religious beliefs and practices of all patients are respected going forward.”
The WSO said it is committed to continuing its work with William Osler Health System to safeguard the rights of Sikh patients.
“We welcome Osler’s apology as an important first step, but we also recognize that there is much work ahead to ensure that such an incident never happens again,” said Singh in a statement.
“We look forward to ongoing dialogue and collaboration with Osler to create an environment where all patients receive care that respects their cultural and religious identities. Brampton is home to one of the largest Sikh communities outside of Punjab and it is crucial that the hospitals serving this community are fully aware of Sikh practices and respectful of them. The community must have confidence that their beliefs will be upheld in all aspects of care.”