"High Degree of Confidence" in the Canadian Human Rights Commission

"[The Privy Council Office, along with CSIS and the RCMP, completed background screening of Birju Dattani after the admission that an] administrative oversight [was responsible for officials failing to conduct an investigation of aliases Dattani had provided during his interviews for the position of Canada's chief of human rights]."

"The government's next actions will be guided by the findings from these background checks as well as by the findings from the independent review currently underway."

"[The PCO] has undertaken [as well] a general review of its internal background check process."

Daniel Savoie, spokesman, Privy Council Office

"While I carefully consider this matter, Mr. Dattani has agreed to take leave at this time and will not begin work at the [Canadian Human Rights Commission] on August 8."

"I will have more to say in the coming days."

Justice Minister Arif Virani

Birju Dattani, the incoming chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, was head of Yukon's provincial human rights body until 2023. (Photo courtesy Yukon Human Rights Commission YouTube)

 

Immediately following the original announcement from Justice Minister Arif Virani that the new chosen chief of the Canadian Human Rights Commission would be the first Muslim and 'racialized' individual to take the important role, his appointment was criticized by Jewish advocacy authorities who raised concerns relating to the man's past online presence. Among them the sharing of an article in 2014 with the title "Palestinians are Warsaw Ghetto Prisoners of Today". Oddly, once this was brought to public attention, Mr. Dattani who had endorsed it when he shared it, now claims he does not agree with it.

An article he published in 2015, furthermore, suggested a comparison of Israel to Nazi Germany. The fact as well that he shared a panel discussion that included a member of the Islamic fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Despite these incriminating issues along with other actions and issues that demonstrated a clear anti-Israel, antisemitic sentiment in social media posts from that time, with his use of an account under the name Mujahid Dattani highly critical of Israel. With this background, it could hardly be expected that an unbiased lens would be brought to the position he was appointed to.

Not all sources, however, believe that the man's appointment is inappropriate. The Yukon Human Rights Commission issued a statement defending Dattani's impartiality and objective stance, their impression of Dattani's service as director of the Yukon Human Rights Commission. Stating their rejection of allegations he might be unfit for the appointment of chief of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Also supporting Dattani unconditionally is the National Council for Canadian Muslims which accused the government of responding to 'flimsy' allegations against a Muslim.

Now, while the promised investigation of how it was that three federal agencies -- the Privy Council Office which serves as the administrative arm of the office of the Prime Minister responsible for vetting federal appointments -- could have conducted such a shallow study of an individual named to the Human Rights Commission that his previous public and social media statements indicating a clear racist bias were missed.

Astonishingly it was not only this vital lapse on the part of the PCO, but routine investigations undertaken by Canada's premier policing agency, the RCMP, and its senior intelligence-gathering group, CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, that also both appeared to miss glaring instances of questionable declarations by the individual that they too gave a green light on appointment to that most sensitive of posts.

"The Liberals must immediately end the charade and start open and public hearings into this debacle", stated Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman, accusing the Liberals of "trying to escape accountability by setting up a closed-door, secretive review to sweep this whole debacle under the rug." Justice Minister Virani responded by assuring that the government was "endeavouring to ensure that the review concludes before August 8", the date at which Datani was set to take up the position in question.

It is at this juncture that the Justice Department saw fit to advise that their candidate as chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission has agreed to a temporary leave, while Minister Virani gives full consideration to the independent review into his appointment. Minister Virani's stated that his intention is to take his time considering the appropriateness of the appointment.

The result of the candidate's previous anti-Israel, antisemitic views is predictable enough; advocacy groups including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, and MP Anthony Housefather, the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on antisemitism and the Jewish community, have all called for Dattani’s appointment to be rescinded. "We have to have a high degree of confidence" in the Human Rights Commission, pointed out Shimon Koffler Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

 

"We certainly want answers. We call on the government to quickly publish this report and for Minister [Arif] Virani to make the proper decision as swiftly as is possible."

"Transparency is paramount for the Government to regain the trust of its constituents."

David Granovsky, director of government relations, B'nai Brith Canada