Alberta Human Rights Commission award $5,000 to BC NRI
for discrimination complaint against Calgary nightclub

Calgary, March 19, 2008
Surinder Kahlon

NRI Jaspal Randhawa, 33, a Canadian born accountant from Vancouver, along with his two friends tried to get into the Tequila nightclub, 219 17th Avenue SW Calgary on July 2004, Alberta, but they were refused to enter by bouncer.

Jaspal Randhawa, who wears a turban , asked the doorman whether the club had any policies against allowing people with turbans inside. When told it was fine, Randhawa got into the line full of Stampede revelers. After 10 minutes, another bouncer approached and told him that he wouldn't be allowed in because "the owners want to maintain a certain image and don't want clients to say there are a lot of 'brown' people inside."

Randhawa launched a racial discrimination against Tequila nightclub and the panel ruled that Tequila discriminated against Jaspal Randhawa on July 9, 2004, based on the color of his skin and the fact he wore a turban. Tequila has been ordered to apologize to Randhawa, pay him $5,000 in damages including interest for injury to his dignity and self-respect, as well as $800 in expenses.

The panel also ordered the Tequila nightclub to bring in a specific policy on racial discrimination in the workplace within two months, and to train all staff about it.

Jaspal Randhawa said, "I hope this is going to be a wake-up call for the nightclub industry."

Nightclub denies discriminatory policies. All door staff were interviewed and they denied any wrongdoing. During the hearing, Harry Dimitriadis, manager of Tequila said that the bar has regular clients who wear turbans and why Randhawa didn't speak to a manager after the incident.

Colley-Urquhart, a commissioner with the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission said, "All complaints are investigated, and they are taken very seriously If you feel you've been discriminated against, you should file a complaint. "

Tequila Nightclub
219 17th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta Randhawa