New Human Rights Commissioner Resigns Before Start

Birju Dattani, who was just appointed as Canada’s new human rights commissioner, has decided to resign even before officially starting the job. This news comes after some serious complaints about his past comments and actions, which have been labeled as antisemitic by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).

Last week, Dattani agreed to take a leave from the position, right before he was set to officially start. He posted on LinkedIn that he believes in the importance of the Commission’s work and its role in democracy.

These complaints led to an investigation initiated by Justice Minister Arif Virani, conducted by the law firm Filion Wakely Angeletti LLP. They submitted their findings to Virani on July 31.

In a statement, Virani mentioned that he respects Dattani’s decision to step down, emphasizing that maintaining the trust of Canadians in the Human Rights Commission is a top priority for him.

The interim commissioner, Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, will continue to serve in the role while the search for a new commissioner starts up.

The investigation reported that Dattani used the name «Mujahid Dattani» in various online engagements, a detail that was missing in his background check. The report indicated he had not shown any antisemitic beliefs but pointed out inconsistencies in how he reported his names during the application process.

Dattani, who stated he was originally Hindu but converted to Islam in 2001, mentioned in his resignation letter that he unintentionally misunderstood some of the background check questions.

Critics, including Deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman, have called for an investigation into how Dattani was appointed. Meanwhile, Richard Marceau from CIJA expressed relief that Dattani stepped down, noting that the Jewish community had lost confidence in him.

On the other hand, advocacy groups like the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) expressed disappointment over how the situation unfolded, labeling it a ‘witch-hunt’ against Dattani and highlighting the challenges racialized minorities face during such controversies.