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The Remembrance Day poppy is – or should be – about as universal and non-partisan a symbol as it’s possible to have. But in a decision that has provoked outrage on all sides of Canadian politics, corporate hippies Whole Foods have banned their staff from wearing poppies.
Five days before Remembrance Day, the supermarket chain Whole Foods has banned its employees from wearing poppies.
According to an employee at a Whole Foods branch in Ottawa, she was told by her manager to remove her poppy because it was “supporting a cause,” 680 News reported.
What possible “cause” could it be? Remembering the fallen is not a “cause”, it’s a simple sign of respect.
The policy was criticized by Conservative Opposition Leader Erin O’Toole, who said “the sacrifice of Canadians in the past provides the freedom for a US grocery chain to be stupid today”[…]
O’Toole published a video statement, saying “it is shameful – and frankly un-Canadian – that Whole Foods is banning their employees from showing respect for our Veterans.”
O’Toole himself is a veteran of the Canadian military. “To those of us who have proudly served our country, to those still serving, to the fallen who have paid the ultimate sacrifice – this is not a cause,” he continued.
A chorus of Canadian politicians, left and right, echoed O’Toole’s fury.
The decision by the grocer was ripped into by many politicians, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who described the ban as “disgusting and disgraceful.” He further called upon Whole Foods to apologize and change their policy.
O’Toole’s campaign chair, Waleid Soliman, pledged to fund the legal defense of any employee who wishes to fight the policy.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also criticized the move by Whole Foods, arguing that “Canadians shouldn’t lose the right to honour the sacrifices of veterans when they go to work.” He also compared the company’s decision to their ban on Black Lives Matter face masks implemented earlier this year.
MP Michelle Rempel Gardner, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Ontario Liberal Party Leader Stephen Del Duca, Ambassador to the UN Bob Rae, also criticized the move. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retweeted Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay‘s criticism of Whole Foods, but did not directly comment on the matter thus far.
Whole Foods is owned by the Amazon mega-corporation. Clearly, our corporate overlords will tolerate loyalty to none but themselves.
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