Family of Sikh man speaks out against Toronto-area hospital after beard shaved

The family of a Sikh man from Brampton is demanding an apology, an explanation, and a commitment to improvement from the local hospital network after claiming their loved one's facial hair was removed without consent.

The incident reportedly occurred on Aug. 28 or 29, shortly after Joginder Singh Kaler was transferred to Brampton Civic Hospital from Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital. Kaler, 85, had been hospitalized a month earlier after a serious fall and underwent surgery for a fractured jaw at St. Michael’s, his son-in-law Jasjit Dhaliwal told CP24.com.

While Kaler was at St. Michael’s, Dhaliwal said the hospital asked for permission to shave Kaler’s beard, but the family declined, and their wishes were respected.

“When we said ‘no,’ they listened, they held back,” Dhaliwal said.

However, when Kaler was transferred to Brampton Civic Hospital, Dhaliwal said the staff again requested permission to shave his beard, and the family once more refused, citing religious reasons.

“Again, we said no. We said, ‘You cannot do that. It’s our faith, our religion,’” he said.

Despite their objections, Dhaliwal’s sister-in-law visited Kaler the next day and found him clean-shaven. “It was so shocking to us. For my father-in-law’s entire life, he had facial hair, but now he looked different. It’s very upsetting,” Dhaliwal said.

In the Sikh faith, many members keep their hair unshorn as part of their religious practice called kesh, one of the five visible articles of faith for Sikhs. This practice has deep spiritual significance and represents a commitment to accepting God's will.

Dhaliwal expressed frustration that the William Osler Health System, which operates Brampton Civic Hospital, has yet to provide a proper explanation. He said they received only a brief apology, with staff calling the incident a "mistake."

“What was the reason? They had no reason whatsoever to shave him… What happened at Brampton Civic Hospital shouldn’t have happened,” he said, adding that the family might have understood if it had been an emergency, but it wasn’t.

“There was no need for this. It was about respecting our faith. This feels like an attack on our religion.”

Dhaliwal chose to go public with the story, noting that the hospital has not reached out to address the incident. He hopes that by speaking out, others won’t face similar experiences.

“There was no courtesy, no real apology, no explanation, no promise to remedy the situation… There are a lot of questions, but no answers,” Dhaliwal said, adding that his father-in-law, who is unconscious and on life support, likely doesn’t know what happened.

“An apology would have gone a long way.”

In a statement provided to CP24.com on Sept. 11, William Osler Health System said they are “taking this situation very seriously and are investigating following receipt of this concern and letter today.”

The hospital stated, “Osler strives to deliver safe and compassionate care for every patient we serve, and we are sorry and deeply concerned when we do not meet the standard our patients and their families expect and deserve.” They added that they respect religious rights and freedoms and support an inclusive and compassionate environment for all.

While Osler declined to comment specifically on Kaler’s case due to patient privacy, they confirmed that a comprehensive review of the incident is underway.

Brampton is home to the largest Sikh population in Canada, with about a quarter of the city's 656,000 residents identifying as Sikh, according to the 2021 Census.

Balpreet Singh of the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSOC) said it’s reasonable to expect hospitals to understand the cultural and religious needs of their diverse communities.

“We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for our cultural and religious practices to be respected,” Singh said, noting that the Ontario Human Rights Code protects patients' rights to practice their faith without discrimination.

The WSOC is supporting Kaler’s family and has written to Osler’s CEO, Dr. Frank Martino, expressing “shock and outrage” over the incident.

“This has not only caused emotional distress to Mr. Kaler’s family but has also inflicted trauma during an already challenging time,” the organization said.

Singh praised Kaler’s family for their courage in speaking out. “They are doing this so no other family has to go through this,” he said, adding that for a Sikh, having their facial hair shaved without consent is “the most humiliating thing that can happen.”

The WSOC has assisted Sikh patients and families who have faced “insensitive treatment” or a “lack of understanding of the Sikh faith” at Brampton Civic Hospital in the past, according to a news release. Osler was asked about previous incidents but did not comment.

Singh emphasized that while an apology is important, meaningful change is what truly matters. “They’ve acknowledged our concerns and promised to do better, but they haven’t… Committing to ensuring this doesn’t happen again is more important,” he said.

The WSOC has offered Osler resources on culturally appropriate care for Sikh patients and proposed cultural sensitivity training for healthcare providers. However, Singh said repeated incidents suggest that these resources may not have been implemented effectively.

“This wouldn’t keep happening if staff better understood the Sikh faith,” Singh said.

Osler did not comment on the WSOC’s resources or staff training offers.