Bearded man blames 'derelict' profiling for his ejection from grocery store

An Ottawa man blames discrimination against homeless people for being ejected from a downtown supermarket.

Leonard Poole, who is not homeless, was asked by security staff to leave a Loeb Store on Rideau Street, close to many of the city's homeless shelters, on New Year's Eve.

He said he can only think of one reason that might have happened.

"I had not trimmed my beard," Poole said Tuesday. "I had this feeling that I think I've been profiled. I think they've just leapt to the conclusion that I'm just one more derelict who's coming into their store."

Poole, who a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston who ran as a Green party candidate in the last provincial election, said he is concerned homeless people may have had similar experiences.

A spokesperson for Loeb said the company is looking into the incident and wants to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Poole said he received an apology by telephone from a Loeb vice-president two weeks after his ejection from the store, but he wants a response from the supermarket in writing as well as a face-to-face meeting with the store's management.

A spokeswoman for a nearby homeless shelter said her clients sometimes do get kicked out of grocery stores.

"You know, they've dealt with it every day," she said.

However, she added, they don't usually battle for better treatment the way Poole has.

The incident took place when Poole visited the Loeb store after returning from holidays. He hadn't trimmed his beard for two weeks, he told Ottawa Morning on Wednesday, and he was still carrying his luggage when he entered the store.

He was asked by a security guard to leave before he had finished shopping and was escorted out despite his protests and his requests for an explanation, he said.