WSO Welcomes Reversal of Airport Turban Screening Procedure

Ottawa (June 16, 2016):  The World Sikh Organization of Canada welcomes the reversal of a recently introduced mandatory Explosive Trace Detection turban screening procedure at Canadian airports.  Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt made the announcement of the reversal in comments to the CBC late Tuesday evening. Minister of State (Multiculturalism) Tim Uppal also issued a separate statement Tuesday evening.  The new screening procedure, introduced on April 15, is to be cancelled immediately for air travel inside Canada.

The reversal came hours after a news release put out by the WSO today condemning the policy. 

WSO President, Dr. Amritpal Singh Shergill said, "we are happy to see that the discriminatory policy requiring the mandatory secondary screening of turbans and other religious headgear for explosives has been reversed but we are shocked that such a policy could have been introduced without any consultation or notice in the first place. While the policy has ended for travel within Canada, we will continue to follow up with Transport Canada to ensure that it ends on all flights, as soon as possible."

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.