A family from Winnipeg is looking to raise awareness about the burkini after an incident that happened to them at a water park in Manitoba, where Halima Jalloul, her husband, and daughters were excited to take a trip to Lilac Resort on Friday, and minutes after their arrival, they were told they could not enter the pool because of what they were wearing.

Halima said, "When we arrived, the owner approached us and said that because of the burkini that my daughter and I were wearing, we were not allowed to use the water slide."

Salma Douida, Jalloul's 14-year-old daughter, said: "I was very uncomfortable of course, but I was not shocked that it happened. The burkini is a full-body swimsuit similar to a wetsuit, designed to respect the Islamic traditions of modest dress."

Christopher Love, safety management coordinator at the Lifesaving Society, said in an email: "As long as the burkini in question is properly designed, there are no safety concerns," "I have seen some in use, and they do work like wetsuits."

Meanwhile, Dan Maniger, owner of Lilac Resort, said he contacted the family because he did not know what a burkini was and thought it was streetwear – a major public health violation if worn in a swimming pool. Maniger sent a memo to all his employees explaining what a burkini is and that it is allowed.

After a discussion with the family and a health inspector, Jalloul was told they could swim, but they chose to leave. Jalloul explained: "My daughters were crying, and this was not really a pleasant moment for us, so I had to check on my daughters to see if they were okay and wanted to stay or leave." The father added: "We experience this daily at the beach, people look at you and don't know what it is, which is good, and some education needs to happen."