The Universality of Indifference to Antisemitism

"His connection to individuals linked to terrorist groups and his history of antisemitic statements and activities demonstrate that he is not suitable for this critical position [at the Canadian Human Rights Commission."

"We urge the government to reconsider Mr. Dattani's appointment to ensure the integrity of the CHRC and public trust in its mission."

"Dattani's inadequate response to these allegations [of having spoken for BDS at anti-Israel rallies, of posting offensive 'anti-Zionist' antisemitic statements] over the past week further underscores a pattern of denial and obfuscation rather than genuine accountability."

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs/Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies joint statement

 

"As an academic, I have discussed, often in great detail, the BDS movement. That being said, I have not personally or publicly endorsed the BDS movement."

"I did not agree with the comparison [statement attributed to him comparing Israel with Nazi Germany]. However, I do accept and sincerely apologize that this has deeply offended members of the Jewish community and I would never do such a thing now."

Birju Dattani, appointment-designee as head, Canadian Human Rights Commission

Birju Dattani has been appointed chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Photo by LinkedIn/Handout

"Trudeau Liberals appoint an antisemite who compared Israelis to Nazis as head of the Canadian Human Rights Commission."

"Liberal MP Housefather ... the NDP & Bloc could agree to recall committee to investigate this grotesque appointment but they won't."

Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Opposition Conservatives

Canada's Minister of Justice, Arif Virani, on June 14 announced the new head of the Canadian Human Rights Commission: Birju Dattani. Following the announcement, it was revealed soon afterward that this man had a past record of antisemitic statements to his account, and was prominent with groups promoting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. Yet the Justice Ministry proceeded with announcing its choice candidate for this position on human rights defence for all of Canada. Making it clear that once again the ministries headed by Liberal Cabinet ministers failed their due diligence.

 

 

A simple enough matter of background checks would have swiftly brought to the fore these past associations of the man whom the Minister of Justice felt assured would make an outstanding head of the CHRC. This is not an unfortunate one-time incident. On a previous occasion a contract was signed by Minister Ahmed Hussen for a blatant antisemite -- Laith Marouf of outlawed terror group Samidoun -- whose sentiments were extremely public on social media sites, to conduct training workshops for government employees on anti-racism. 

 

This latest appointment, reckless in its lack of oversight, with Birju Dattani revealed to have links to terrorist groups and a personal history of antisemitic statements is yet another indication that the current Liberal government has a lax attitude toward racism, even while promoting itself as devoted to ensuring that any vestiges of societal racism is dealt with under the law, even as they themselves flaunt their unerring incapacity to identify bigotry where it exists, and seemingly oblivious to its harms when it targets Jews, promote it.

 

In 2015, while completing his academic education, Dattani joined a panel discussion along with a member of an Islamic fundamentalist group known to lecture on the BDS movement. "I spoke on many panels as a graduate student with people holding a range of views. This does not mean I shared or agreed with the views of other panellists", he insisted, denying ever having himself endorsed the BDS movement. "As an academic, I have discussed, often in great detail, the BDS movement. That being said, I have not personally or publicly endorsed the BDS movement."

"I can testify to the fact that while serving as our Director of Human Rights, Mr. Dattani was exemplary in meeting the highest standards of dedication to the defense of human rights for all Yukoners."

Michael Dougherty, chair, Yukon Human Rights commission

As for background, Mr. Dattani cut his teeth following graduation in employment with the Syrian Legal Development Program at the United Nations. Syria under President Bashar al-Assad is, of course, a bastion of human rights; ask any Sunni Syrian about the estimated 300,000 Syrians whose lives were forfeit during the (still ongoing) civil war, where the Alawite Shiite regime settled a disagreement with its majority Sunni Syrian citizens with barrel bombs and chemical weapons.

A man is surrounded by debris from a regime bombing in Aleppo. Hosam Katan/Reuters