August 25, 2023
Hi I have a complaint to make against the Supervisor Mark who works at Value Village on Faithful Ave in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. I am a First Nations women and I took my daughter to shop there after 8pm. I suddenly developed an upset stomach and had to use the washroom. I asked if I could use their facilities and they said no! He replied we close our bathrooms at 8:00pm. My stomach was rumbling and I needed to use the washroom fast. I asked again if I could use the washroom and was denied. I told them that it was a Human rights violation to deny anyone of using the washroom in a public place. He said its nothing towards you but since I am First Nations I felt I was discriminated against because he said it has to do with shoplifters. I don't know what I was going to shoplift if I was in the washroom and having diarrhea perhaps the toilet or the hand blower, I don't know all I know is I had a bathroom emergency. Anyways I think the washrooms should remain open until 10 minutes before the store closes. Customers cannot anticipate if they are needing the washroom until they need to use one. Closing the washroom 1 hour early does not deter shoplifting. Shoplifting occurs on the floor and not in the washrooms. My next step if no changes are made is to take this this to Human rights because it is a violation of anyone's rights to deny someone of using the public facilities. I felt discriminated since I am First Nation. I feel they were racial profiling me. As I was coming in earlier they stopped a First Nation couple and asked to see their receipt. I did not see the Security Guard ask any Non First Nations for their receipt. When I was there on another occasion the Security Guard asked me to lower my mask. But I did not observe them ask Non First Nations to lower theirs. This is blatant racism and feel the policy for the washrooms need to be changed. Thank you for reading the awful experience I had at Value Village in Saskatoon.
Desired outcome: Change in Policies