Walmart Canada is responding to a controversy concerning one of its Windsor locations.
Last week, volunteers from Windsor Goodfellows were selling newspapers outside the Walmart Superstore on Tecumseh Rd E in east Windsor, as part of its traditional Christmastime fundraiser. As first reported, volunteers claimed they were ordered off the property by store management, who said they were not given proper notice that the Goodfellows would be collecting donations.
In an email to BlackburnNewsWindsor.com, Alex Roberton, a spokesman for Walmart Canada, says the chain has always supported charitable causes at the local level, and that the whole Goodfellows controversy was just a mix-up.
"We have a robust philanthropy program and are a strong supporter of local charities. We also provide space for them to operate inside and outside our stores," says Roberton in the email.
Roberton is blaming the controversy on a conflict with another local charity.
"The Salvation Army had already reserved space at the store," says Roberton. "If we were aware of an overlap we would try to rearrange schedules. In this case we made an exception and the intent was for Goodfellows to operate outside the store - I understand that is what was offered but not was is being reported."
Volunteer Joan Charette said that the Goodfellows repeatedly attempted to contact Walmart Canada to request permission to collect donations, but they never received a response.
Charette has said that the Goodfellows have raised in the neighbourhood of $3,000 by selling papers outside the east Windsor Walmart alone.
Roberton says he is hoping to speak with the Windsor Goodfellows on Monday.
