A former Canadian Human Rights Commission appointee has fallen far short of his $200,000 crowdfunding target to finance a series of defamation lawsuits, raising just over $45,000 in 15 months through small online donations.Blacklock's Reporter says Birju Dattani launched the fundraising campaign on GoGetFunding.com after a federal appointment to become Canada’s Chief Human Rights Commissioner was suspended amid questions about his past conduct. The role carried a salary of roughly $394,000 a year.Records show the campaign relied largely on modest contributions of $50 and $100, with total donations reaching $45,151 — less than a quarter of the stated goal.In an appeal to supporters, Dattani acknowledged financial pressures facing donors but urged continued contributions.“These are tough times and I can only imagine the financial struggles that many are experiencing, especially with tariff-related uncertainties,” he wrote. “Your support is giving me the fuel to carry on and I am forever grateful to all of you.”In another message, he alleged he was the target of coordinated attacks following the collapse of his appointment.“There is a pattern in this country of bullying, doxing, smearing and silencing people and it has to stop!” Dattani wrote. “These are people and organizations with large platforms and profiles. I need your help to hold them accountable Please donate anything you can spare. Every little bit helps.”.Dattani has claimed more than $2 million in damages across proposed defamation claims against five defendants, including Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman, B’nai Brith Canada, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Rebel News Network publisher Ezra Levant and commentator Dahlia Kurtz. None of the claims have proceeded to trial.Among donors to the campaign was former NDP MP Libby Davies, who contributed $100 and wrote, “Thank you for doing this.” The NDP declined to comment, and Davies did not respond to requests for comment.Dattani’s appointment as chief commissioner was suspended after a series of disclosures about his past academic and political activity surfaced during vetting.He confirmed delivering a 2014 lecture in Istanbul describing terrorism as “a rational and well-calculated strategy,” and acknowledged participation in protests at the Israeli embassy in London as well as “Israeli Apartheid Week” events at Cambridge University in 2014 and 2015. He also admitted to social media posts comparing Palestinians to Holocaust victims.A review by Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP, commissioned by the Department of Justice, found Dattani had downplayed aspects of his past.“He stated he ‘was a grad student’ and ‘was doing a lot of rapid fire tweeting,’” the report said..The review also concluded he minimized the critical nature of his academic work regarding Israel and Palestine.“In our view… he deliberately de-emphasized the manner in which his academic work was critical of the State of Israel,” the report stated.It further warned that the lack of full disclosure deprived the government of the opportunity to properly assess the implications of his appointment to a senior federal human rights role.
