A Toronto woman is getting the apology she wanted from the Lambton Golf and Country Club.
Over the weekend, Alexandra Shimo says she was forced to finish breastfeeding her son in the basement of the club after members complained.
She says she was sitting in the corner of a hallway, feeding her child, when she was told by a staff member that people in the dining room could see her and weren't thrilled about the view while eating their meal.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission describes this as a violation.
In a statement to NEWSTALK 1010 the Commission says that under the Code no one has the right to tell a breastfeeding mother to cover up or move to an area that's a little more dicreet.
The Commission says its policy doesn't directly deal with recreational clubs directly, its position is that a woman can breastfeed anywhere, anytime.
The letter sent to Shimo from the Lambton Golf and Country Club reads as follows:
Dear Ms. Shimo:
On behalf of the Lambton Golf and Country Club, we are writing to offer our sincerest apologies to you and your family with respect to your experience at our club on Saturday, October 15, when you were breastfeeding your son.
Our staff member should have acted differently and not have asked you to move to another location at the club to continue feeding your baby. We deeply regret that this caused you to feel embarrassed.
Thank you for raising your concerns with us. We recognize that you and other mothers who come to Lambton as members or guests are entitled to breastfeed their children without covering up and should not be asked to move from a location that is comfortable and convenient for them.
We want to assure you that we will be making our staff and members aware of the Ontario Human Rights Code and its provisions which make it clear that a breastfeeding woman can breastfeed her child in public and cannot be discriminated against for doing so. We will be providing sensitivity training to our staff to make sure they are aware of the needs and rights of breastfeeding mothers and to ensure that the unfortunate situation you experienced at Lambton does not happen again.
We are informing our members and the media today that we have apologized to you and are providing them with a copy of this letter.
Once again we reservedly apologize for the discomfort this caused you.
Please note your family will always be welcome at Lambton.