Birju Dattani, who was appointed in June to chair the Canadian Human Rights Commission, announced he had agreed to resign Monday following an investigation into comments he made in the past about Israel.
Mr. Dattani has previously denied allegations that he made past anti-Israel statements, including what Conservatives in Ottawa called “justifying terrorism.”
When Canadian Jewish organizations raised concerns about Mr. Dattani’s past activities, the federal justice minister asked a law firm to conduct an investigation. But after “carefully reviewing the independent report” and the response submitted by Mr. Dattani, Minister Arif Virani now says “the findings are clear.”
“I have accepted Mr. Dattani’s decision to resign as Chair of the Commission,” the minister wrote in a statement Monday. “As I have stated previously, my highest priority is to maintain the trust of Canadians in the Canadian Human Rights Commission.”
The lengthy report from the outside law firm details 14 allegations against Mr. Dattani, including comments he posted on social media and elsewhere under the name “Mujahid” Dattani — a “mujahid” being a fighter for the Islamic faith who engages in jihad.
The law firm’s investigation team, however, found nothing to indicate that Mr. Dattani harbored “beliefs that would be characterized as anti-Semitic or that he demonstrated prejudice (conscious or unconscious) toward Jews or Israelis.”
However, the firm Filion Wakely Thorup Angelett concludes that his explanation for not having mentioned the name “Mujahid Dattani” throughout the application process and background check lacked “credibility”.
Instead, he provided the name “Birju Mujahid Dattani,” despite appearing on several panels and introducing himself on social media under the single first name “Mujahid.”
“On a balance of probabilities and based on all of the evidence, we conclude that Mr. Dattani intentionally omitted the reference to ‘Mujahid Dattani’ on the Background Check Consent Form (and elsewhere) and that at no time during the application or interview process did he disclose that he had used the name ‘Mujahid Dattani’ in the past,” reads the investigation report, released by the minister on Monday.
After receiving these findings, Mr Virani warned Mr Dattani in a letter dated July 31 that the results of the investigation raised serious concerns about his honesty and candor during the application process.
Mr Dattani was due to take up his new role from last Thursday, but he agreed to take leave while Minister Virani considered what to do next after the inquiry.
The resigning president wrote Monday that he remained “a strong supporter of the commission’s work, its mandate and its importance to our democracy.”
Conservatives delighted
Deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman, who had been calling for his firing, welcomed the news, which came a little late. “Dattani’s past writings were easily detectable with a simple Google search,” wrote Ms.me Lantsman on X.
“Either the Trudeau government’s political staff did not conduct such rudimentary research, or they found this material and considered the comments unproblematic,” she wrote, calling for a “full, free and fair investigation” into the entire process of her appointment.
B’Nai Brith Canada is also calling for a “thorough investigation” to address these “critical flaws in the selection process, which must be corrected.” […] in order to protect the integrity of our democracy,” the Jewish organization wrote on X.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also welcomed Monday “that the Government of Canada has taken seriously the concerns of the Jewish community and launched an investigation into Birju Dattani’s suitability to lead the Commission,” given “revelations about his associations with individuals and groups linked to listed terrorist entities and his troubling history of anti-Semitic statements.”
But the organization Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East points out that the team that investigated Mr. Dattani could not conclude that he harbored “beliefs that would be qualified as anti-Semitic or that he demonstrated prejudices (conscious or unconscious) against Jews or Israelis.”
The minister also assured on Monday that the new process of nomination for the presidency of the commission would begin “as soon as possible.”
“I am grateful to Interim President Charlotte-Anne Malischewski for her continued service to Canadians in the interim.”