Breastfeeding mom told to move to washroom at Thornhill facility

City of Vaughan has issued an apology

Yorkregion.com
April 19, 2016
By Simone Joseph

A woman has filed an official human rights complaint after being asked to breastfeed her child in a Thornhill community centre washroom last week.

Sarah Lambersky was visiting Rosemount Community Centre with her 16-month-old daughter the morning of April 12 to participate in a drop-in program for parents and toddlers.

The 34-year-old mom was sitting on the floor breastfeeding her daughter, Estee, when a staff member approached and said someone in the class was uncomfortable with her breastfeeding. The employee added that a past participant had had an issue with someone else who had been breastfeeding.

The first staff member spoke to a second employee, who also came up to Lambersky and asked her to move.

This second employee said it was policy to ask people to use the bathroom if they need to breastfeed a child. Lambersky asked whose policy it was: the City of Vaughan’s, the community center’s or the policy of the drop-in class?

Lambersky said she was told it is the policy at Rosemount, the facility.

She told The Liberal she had seen the washroom and said it “looked like a dark closet”.

Lambersky said she told the staff person it was not her problem that someone was uncomfortable with the sight of her breastfeeding and if they had a problem with it, they could come speak with her directly.

Lambersky remained seated on the floor and allowed her daughter to finish breastfeeding. Then, she left.

In an emailed letter of complaint to The Liberal Lambersky wrote: “A request to breastfeed in an enclosed space away from public view, in a baby and toddler program, is neither warranted nor justified and reminiscent of the 1950s.”

She pointed out that it also violates human rights in Ontario and has filled out paperwork for an official human rights complaint.

According to the Ontario Human Rights Code, breastfeeding mothers have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. “No one should prevent you from breastfeeding your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to ‘cover up,’ disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more ‘discreet’.”

The City of Vaughan’s recreation services sent Lambersky a letter of apology, which she shared with the media.

“First off, I would like to apologize for the frustrations that you experienced,” the letter begins. “There are no City of Vaughan bylaws or policies that would restrict you from breastfeeding in public spaces. Please be assured that we take this matter seriously. To that end, staff will be provided additional training to avoid any future re-occurrences. My hope is that you will continue to participate in our community centre activities,” wrote Sunny Bains, manager of business services and acting manager of Recreation Services.

In response to questions this week, Bains reiterated that The City of Vaughan apologizes and “have used this as an opportunity to provide additional training to the staff involved.
“The City of Vaughan fully supports a mother’s right to breastfeed in public spaces, in accordance with Ontario law. Recognizing our staff made a mistake, we reached out to the mother involved to apologize and assure her we take this matter seriously,” he responded.

“Women are allowed to breastfeed at Rosemount Community Centre and all community centres in the City of Vaughan.”

Lambersky says this was her first and last time visiting Rosemount.

She is a Toronto native who is visiting her family for the Jewish holiday of Passover. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.

While speaking to her cousin about what had happened at the Thornhill program, her cousin told Lambersky the story of how she had been asked to move while breastfeeding in a Toronto synagogue, saying she had moved to a different room, but felt horrible about it afterwards.

Lambersky says she wishes breastfeeding in public was more prevalent.

“There has to be more breastfeeding in North American society so you don’t run into situations like this,” she said. “It’s good to stand up, not to keep silent.”
You could say Lambersky is following in her mother’s footsteps.

In 1981 on a visit to Eaton’s department store at Yorkdale Mall, Lambersky’s own mother was breastfeeding Lambersky on a bench, when a security guard came over and asked her to go and breastfeed in the washroom. Her defiant mother said no, adding that they would have to call the police before she would move.

Lambersky shares her mother’s attitude towards mothers’ rights to breastfeed their babies.

Breastfeeding should not need to be hidden, Lambersky said.

“I’m not embarrassed. There’s no need to hide.”