Content creator Gurpartap Singh Khalsa (left) posted a video of his encounter with a GoodLife Fitness employee kicking him out for having a kirpan. Mixed reviews flood the internet over how the gym dealt with the situation during and after the fact. (Courtesy: @dreambodygurp/TikTok & Canva)
Following a recent viral incident where a Sikh man was kicked out of a GoodLife Fitness gym in Windsor for having a kirpan, many people are taking to social media to voice their concerns of how the company handled the situation.
Content creator Gurpartap Singh Khalsa posted a video of his encounter with a GoodLife Fitness employee who was kicking him out after the staff noticed he had a kirpan on him.
On July 17, GoodLife Fitness shared a statement with The Brandon Gonez Show saying that they comply with applicable government legislation and Canadian human rights laws, and that their “established practices were not applied as intended.”
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There has been mixed responses in opinion regarding a kirpan being allowed on one’s person in a public environment, despite it being for religious purposes.
“GoodLife do better,” one user commented on The Brandon Gonez Show post.
“It’s not about race. It’s about safety. Knives stay at home,” another user commented.
People are now retailiating after the situation
Some are even cancelling their gym membership after years of being loyal customers, due to the way the company is handling the situation.
“I’m done. After 11 years as a customer, I have officially cancelled my GoodLife membership,” a Reddit user wrote. “I’m taking this step because of the way corporate handled the situation yesterday regarding the employee who was fired for calling out a gym-goer for carrying a knife. The individual claimed it was a religious symbol, but regardless, having a dangerous weapon inside a gym is a major safety concern.”
GoodLife Fitness confirmed with The Brandon Gonez Show that the employee involved was actually not fired, and in regards to the kirpan being permitted in businesses, they are required to follow the provinces human rights laws.
“No one has been, nor will be, terminated as a result of the interaction in our Windsor club. Information to the contrary is false. We continue to support our employees and the entire GoodLife community,” said GoodLife Fitness senior vice president of experience and safety, Tracy Matthews.
The statement also noted the gym to be a “welcoming and safe community” and they want all customers to feel so.
Sikh lawyer weighs in
Gurratan Singh is a Canadian lawyer, former politician and the brother of former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and he spoke on the situation and clarified that the kirpan is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In a video, Singh explained the 2006 Supreme Court of Canada ruling that arose from a case testing a student’s right to wear a kirpan at school. He explained the decision regarding the right of Sikhs to wear a kirpan, where the court ultimately determined that other objects could also be violently used depending on the circumstances.
“That logic applies even more at a gym, where people, including really strong people, have access to cable bars, free weights, plate weights, and much more. All which can do serious damage,” Singh said in the video.
He adds that GoodLife Fitness did not handle the situation in accordance with the law.
“It’s not up for debate. It’s settled law, and that’s why GoodLife acknowledges that their employees should not have asked someone wearing a kirpan to leave,” he adds.
