Grocery chain Whole Foods Market reversed a policy Friday that forbid employees from wearing poppies - including at its Burnaby store in the Brentwood area - a rule the prime minister described as a "silly mistake."
The U.S.-based Whole Foods had defended the rule earlier, saying it was part of a blanket ban on anything other than the retailer's basic uniform. It said later, however, that feedback it received was helpful.
"Our intention was never to single out the poppy or suggest a lack of support for Remembrance Day and the heroes who have bravely served their country," a company spokeswoman said.
"Given the learnings of today, we are welcoming team members to wear the poppy pin in honour of Remembrance Day."
Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay said he had spoken to the company's chief operating officer and welcomed the reversal.
"Employees will now be able to wear their poppies at work," MacAulay said in a statement posted on Twitter. "Glad to hear they're changing course."
Earlier Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that MacAulay was actively working on the issue.
"Whole Foods has made a silly mistake that I'm hoping will be corrected very quickly," Trudeau had said.
The House of Commons also adopted a motion by unanimous consent calling on all Canadian employers to allow their staff to wear poppies during Veterans Week, which began Thursday.
Local politicians expressed outrage over the ban.
Burnaby South MP and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed Whole Foods for the decision and compared it to the store’s policy regarding Black Lives Matter.
“It was wrong when they banned staff expressing support for Black Lives Matter and it’s wrong to ban the Poppy,” Singh said in a tweet. “Canadians shouldn't lose the right to honour the sacrifices of veterans when they go to work.”
This is outrageous!
— Jody Wilson-Raybould 王州迪 Vancouver Granville (@Puglaas) November 6, 2020
Whole Foods grocery chain bans employees from wearing poppies https://t.co/OpgHjT654W
“Shame on @WholeFoods! Remembrance Day is not a ‘cause’ and it’s upsetting to see they don’t understand the difference. Outrageous indeed!! #LestWeForget #RemembranceDay2020,” tweeted Danielle Connelly, a school trustee in the City of New Westminster.
Poppy sales are used to support Canadian veterans. Whole Foods says it has financially supported the Royal Canadian Legion.
“Whole Foods Market honours the men and women who have and continue to bravely serve their country,” the company said in a statement defending the ban. “We support Remembrance Day in all of our Canadian stores by observing a moment of silence on November 11th and by donating to the Legion's Poppy Campaign. With the exception of those items required by law, our dress code policy prohibits any additions to our standard uniform."Whole Foods Market is being sued in the United States for preventing its employees from wearing Black Lives Matter face coverings while on the job.
A federal lawsuit filed in Boston on July 20 alleges that the supermarket chain disciplined, intimidated and retaliated against the workers who were showing solidarity with the racial justice movement that had a resurgence of support following the May death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to the lawsuit.
According to that lawsuit, store managers cited the company dress code, which prohibits slogans or logos not affiliated with the company, as the reason for prohibiting Black Lives Matter messages.
— With files from The Associated Press and the Canadian Press
