Does anyone know about this situation in Montreal? Can anyone give this woman
any suggestions about protest or other actions that might help?
J. Rachael Hamlet
Owner, Lactivist Mailing List
Author, The Breastfeeding Advocacy Page
http://www.clark.net/pub/activist/bfpage/bfpage.html
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 11:13 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Breastfeeding in public in Montreal
To: [log in to unmask]
Hi! I got your name from a good friend who is a La Leche League leader
in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Susanna Eve (Rosenbaum).
This week a judgment was awarded to a breastfeeding mom by the Quebec
Human Rights Commission ($2500) following an incident in an up-scale
shopping mall (Westmount Square). The mother (Ann Martin) had stopped
to breastfeed her 3 or 4 month old baby. A (female) security guard
approached her and said that there had been several complaints and
asked he to cover up or leave. That was 18 months ago.
The judment is non-binding on the mall owners and the security company.
If they fail to pay in 30 days, the matter will go to a tribunal (like
an administrative trial).
I have already written to mall management and the real estate
consortium which owns it telling them I will no longer shop there
unless they pay the judgment. So far they say (in public) they did not
discriminate and seem to indicate they won't pay.
I would like to organize some sort of protest action ie a "nurse-in".
I thought you might have some ideas for really effective protest
action. I understand La Leche League does not endorse this sort of
action, but speaking to a few like minded individuals, I think I could
muster alot of support.
So far, the public comments in the media are, of course it's ok to
breastfeed, so long as you are discreet. To me that is not the issue.
Women have a right to breastfeed anywhere and everywhere, and
society as a whole benefits.
If you have a chance to reply quickly, I'd
appreciate it as I think one must strike while the iron is hot, so to
speak.
Just to give you a bit of personal background, I am corporate counsel
with Alcan Aluminium, a mother of four (four and under) all breastfed,
including twins. My current baby is 6 1/2 months, and so far only on
breast milk even though I returned to work 2 1/2 months ago.
Many thanks for your help.
|