Canada’s incoming chief human rights commissioner stepped down before officially assuming the role due to an investigation into his appointment and controversy surrounding previous comments he made about Israel.
Birju Dattani announced his resignation via LinkedIn on Monday, stating, “I have agreed to resign as Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, effective today.”
“I remain a steadfast believer in the Commission’s work, mandate, and its importance to our democracy.”
Canada’s Human Rights Commission functions independently from the federal government and investigates human rights complaints related to federal matters, among other responsibilities.
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Canada’s Justice Minister Arif Virani stated that he accepted Dattani’s decision in a statement.
“As I have said, maintaining the confidence of all Canadians in the Canadian Human Rights Commission remains my top priority,” he said, noting that the process to appoint a new chief commissioner will commence promptly.
Dattani was appointed in June, but his appointment faced opposition from some Jewish organizations.
He was criticized for having tweeted, “Palestinians are Warsaw Ghetto Prisoners of Today,” and for participating in panels related to Israel Apartheid Week and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.
The investigation concluded that Dattani did not hold anti-Semitic views or show bias against Jews or Israelis.
However, the investigation raised concerns about Dattani’s omission of his alternate name, Mujahid Dattani, from his application.
The report found his rationale for not including this name in his list of used names to be unconvincing.
In a July 31 letter to Dattani, Virani wrote, “Based on the findings that the report contains, I wish to inform you that I have significant concerns related to your candour during the process that led to your appointment.”
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