Club Fined for Banning Man Based on Race

[fredr123]

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...1-524432a7fa53

Tequila Nightclub was ordered Wednesday to pay $5,000 to a man who was denied entry during the 2004 Calgary Stampede.


An Alberta human rights panel chaired by Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart ruled the club discriminated against Vancouver man Jaspal Randhawa.

This was the guy who participated in that Global TV hidden camera sting a few years ago. To refresh your memory, it was discussed around these parts back in 2004.

Between the ID scanning decision, Cowboys ongoing problems finding a new location and this, it hasn't been a good month or so for Calgary clubs.

[rockstar]

Heh, I was browsing through that old thread you provided, and look what I-Hate-Hulse brought up (post #12):

Originally Posted by He-Hates-Hulse

The Palace used to have a sign up demanding 4 (I think) pieces of government issued ID. Since most of us only have drivers licences, they'd selectively reject people this way - at least when they were popular enough to generate line ups...

I'd like to see that place become a sports bar myself.... Great venue... imagine the big screen / projector possibilities.... bad parking though.

A bit of foresight? Lucky guess? Or did you know something?


Back on topic....

[DementedReality]

Originally Posted by fredr123

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...1-524432a7fa53

Tequila Nightclub was ordered Wednesday to pay $5,000 to a man who was denied entry during the 2004 Calgary Stampede.

An Alberta human rights panel chaired by Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart ruled the club discriminated against Vancouver man Jaspal Randhawa.

This was the guy who participated in that Global TV hidden camera sting a few years ago. To refresh your memory, it was discussed around these parts back in 2004.

Between the ID scanning decision, Cowboys ongoing problems finding a new location and this, it hasn't been a good month or so for Calgary clubs.

$5,000? Why not $5,000,000? How did they determine the value of the "damages"?

But seriously, racism should be battled, but I fail to see why the guy deserves any money, his denial of entry did not cause any financial harm.

[rockstar]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

$5,000? Why not $5,000,000? How did they determine the value of the "damages"?

But seriously, racism should be battled, but I fail to see why the guy deserves any money, his denial of entry did not cause any financial harm.

This one's obvious.

Disgruntled and distraught at being denied access to a first-class club like Tequila, or boy proceeded to spend exactly $5,000 on hookers and blow.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

$5,000? Why not $5,000,000? How did they determine the value of the "damages"?

But seriously, racism should be battled, but I fail to see why the guy deserves any money, his denial of entry did not cause any financial harm.

I haven't been able to find a copy of the decision yet. If anyone else finds it, please post.

The reason the award was so low may be, as you say, because he suffered little financial damage. You might be able to argue that he was probably saved from spending hundreds of dollars on over-priced watered-down drinks if he was allowed inside anyway. More than anything else, the judgment was probably meant to send a message to clubs that this kind of treatment is a violation of the laws of this province and should not be tolerated.

Most people on this board probably have a story about how they were treated arbitrarily at a club in Calgary or elsewhere. There's no reason for it and now it seems that people are willing to do something about it.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by fredr123

There's no reason for it and now it seems that people are willing to do something about it.

While I agree with the spirit of this court victory, fighting four years for a measly $5000 doesn't seem worthwhile to me. The cost for a lawyer and all that legal stuff just doesn't make any sense, unless he didn't use one.

Here's the problem - clubs will continue to keep certain "types" out at their will. It's their bar, and will not let potential troublemakers in if they see fit, and that goes for any race. Human Rights legislation or not.

[Pagal4321]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Here's the problem - clubs will continue to keep certain "types" out at their will. It's their bar, and will not let potential troublemakers in if they see fit, and that goes for any race. Human Rights legislation or not.

And how does one go about identifying "potential troublemakers"?

"Oh you have a turban, you MUST be part of a gang?"

I get that's it's the clubs right to refuse entry, just as it is any other business's right, but what most bars do is border on racial profiling and I'm glad something is being done about it.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by DementedReality

$5,000? Why not $5,000,000? How did they determine the value of the "damages"?

But seriously, racism should be battled, but I fail to see why the guy deserves any money, his denial of entry did not cause any financial harm.

In fact he probably saved a minimum of $100. With the high cover charge and the $7 drinks at bars during Stampede.

[fredr123]

More info from another story: http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/Sik...=abc&date=True

According to Randhawa's complaint filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, another bouncer approached Randhawa 10 minutes later and told him 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."


On Wednesday, a human rights commission panel agreed that Randhawa was discriminated against and awarded him $3,500 plus interest for injury to his dignity and self-respect, as well as $800 in expenses.


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

[J pold]

Good

Whatever those awful places get the deserve, no where in this city have I found more open racism than Calgary night clubs

I am embarrassed to say that I have attended these places

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

And how does one go about identifying "potential troublemakers"?

"Oh you have a turban, you MUST be part of a gang?"

I get that's it's the clubs right to refuse entry, just as it is any other business's right, but what most bars do is border on racial profiling and I'm glad something is being done about it.

Someone with a turban is just as easily to carry a gun as someone of any other race.

I agree they should scrutinize their patrons more, but people will still be kept out. Simple as that. Hell, I'm a white, upper-class University graduate with a clean record, and I've been refused from clubs. It can happen to anybody at any time.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

While I agree with the spirit of this court victory, fighting four years for a measly $5000 doesn't seem worthwhile to me. The cost for a lawyer and all that legal stuff just doesn't make any sense, unless he didn't use one.

It was a human rights panel hearing, not a court proceeding. There are a few differences. Credit the guy for having convictions. Sometimes you have to fight for a cause despite the costs. This guy was willing to do just that. Good for him.

[fredr123]

To keep out trouble makers, they should have some sort of system that records people's IDs so you can cross-reference it in a city-wide database to determine if the person has been in trouble before.

[Matata]

I don't think its right to discriminate, but I also don't think its right to argue about something without giving the counterpoint a spin.

My mom is an ER nurse at Foothills hospital, compared to people of Asian descent (india, china, etc.) very rarely are white people stabbed or are involved in gang violence. And if a club has even a couple cases of Asian gang violence over a few months, white people will abandon that club overnight.

Successful business comes from playing the percentages to your advantage, and if accepting Asians into your club means that the percentages work against you, good business sense tells you not to accept them. Its not necessarily hate motivated, but it ends up being a race issue. Its a catch 22 for club owners, and if no ones looking close, your going to do what you can to preserve your business and investment.

[mykalberta]

If they want to be dicks about it they should just introduce a 'no hats' dress code policy.

Of course they would lose have their customers with wanna-be cool Yankee hats and cowboy hats.

Global showed the 'undercover' video this morning on the Morning News, pretty obvious they denied him based on race. The whole 'guest list' thing is complete BS.

[Muta]

Haha, Tequila sucks anyway.

There's three things I hate about a good portion of clubs in Calgary;

1) The racist, roid-monkey d-bags manning the door.
2) The roid-monkey d-bags who populate the place INSIDE the door.
3) The overpriced, watered down drinks which fund the 10-cent IQ bartenders / servers' breast implants.

No all of it is bad, though. Watching the d-bags hit on the 10-cent IQ'ers IS rather amusing, and also you get to watch the roid-monkeys from one side of the door battle the roid-monkeys from the other side of the door from time to time, for whatever reason; probably over the 10-cent IQ'er.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Muta

Haha, Tequila sucks anyway.

There's three things I hate about a good portion of clubs in Calgary;

1) The racist, roid-monkey d-bags manning the door.
2) The roid-monkey d-bags who populate the place INSIDE the door.
3) The overpriced, watered down drinks which fund the 10-cent IQ bartenders / servers' breast implants.

No all of it is bad, though. Watching the d-bags hit on the 10-cent IQ'ers IS rather amusing, and also you get to watch the roid-monkeys from one side of the door battle the roid-monkeys from the other side of the door from time to time, for whatever reason; probably over the 10-cent IQ'er.

Sounds like you got beat up a lot in high school.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Sounds like you got beat up a lot in high school.

Someone tried once, they didn't get very far.

[flamey_mcflame]

Originally Posted by Matata

I don't think its right to discriminate, but I also don't think its right to argue about something without giving the counterpoint a spin.

My mom is an ER nurse at Foothills hospital, compared to people of Asian descent (india, china, etc.) very rarely are white people stabbed or are involved in gang violence. And if a club has even a couple cases of Asian gang violence over a few months, white people will abandon that club overnight.

Successful business comes from playing the percentages to your advantage, and if accepting Asians into your club means that the percentages work against you, good business sense tells you not to accept them. Its not necessarily hate motivated, but it ends up being a race issue. Its a catch 22 for club owners, and if no ones looking close, your going to do what you can to preserve your business and investment.

Yes, I know when I'm walking the streets and I see a person with a turban, the first thing I think is, "What type of heat is that guy carrying". And all those turban gangsters committing crimes every night freaks me out. And every time I'm at the medical clinic or the hospital, I hate how my wait is extended because of all those turban-wearing Asians with stab wounds coming from the nightclubs are in front of the line. Thanks for your opinion, it was very well thought out.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by fredr123

To keep out trouble makers, they should have some sort of system that records people's IDs so you can cross-reference it in a city-wide database to determine if the person has been in trouble before.

They do. That's been included in this particular case, I think. If not, then Penny Lane Entertainment got slapped using the system, which the police have a tie-in to.

So now we're setting a precedent that says we can't use an ID system AND we have to let anyone in, otherwise it's a race issue, even despite the fact that people of all colors can pose some kind of threat, and bars can't check their record. All in the name of human rights.

Seems sort of backwards to me.