If Birju Dattani is wrongly accused of supporting “grotesque” antisemitism, then he’s an excellent choice to head the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). Who better than someone who has endured persecution to understand the angst of the persecuted whose rights have been violated?But there is evidence that he did support antisemitism. Past tweets and involvement with Islamic radical activists prove it. Dattani’s denial, excuses or justification only indicate he has extremely bad judgement, doesn’t bother to do his homework, and doesn’t own his actions.What troubling is Uganda-born Dattani on one hand, maintains he did nothing wrong. He was apologetic, then scrambled to clarify the apology. He claims he didn’t always know who he was affiliated with regarding antisemitic activities. Good judgement? He also said his views have evolved. Well, which one is it? And what exactly was it that made him see the light?He has a history of activism including: Pushing for reading the Qur’an in Calgary public schools. He joined an anti-Israel protest in 2012 following the death of a senior terrorist Hamas commander Ahmad Al Jabari. He shared a platform with extremists opposed to Israel’s existence. He shared content likening Nazis to Israelis. He used a fake online name — Mujahid Datanni.If he has nothing to hide or be ashamed of, why were his social media posts deleted? The Globe & Mail documented deleted posts in which Dattani expressed approval for opinions comparing Israel to the Third Reich and Palestinians being “the Warsaw Ghetto prisoners of today.”Should Canadians be concerned about him leading the CHRC for five years, paid $394,000 a year, starting Aug. 8?The Conservative and Bloc Quebecois are. They want him disqualified.“Trudeau’s new human rights commissioner has a grotesque anti-Israel record,” posted deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman on X.“He has already lost the trust of the population he is supposed to represent and protect from discrimination. It seems clear to us he can no longer carry out his mandate,” said Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Fortin. The Liberals, claiming to have been taken by surprise by the revelations, are looking into it.This is the man who would wield a lot of power over Canadians. His mandate will include play a major role in addressing things like the Middle East conflict that’s creating chaos in Canada. He’ll assume a leading role in combatting hate posts under the Liberal’s Online Harms Act that is designed to persecute those who exercise their right to free speech. The CHRC will adjudicate complaints received and can order a victim of a hateful post to be compensated up to $20,000.His role will also be to foster a more “inclusive” society. Inclusive is a kinder, gentler word for discrimination.When making the announcement, Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani said Dattani’s appointment comes at “pivotal time for human rights in Canada.” And he’ll help shape the direction the nation takes.Pivoting in what direction under this divisive Liberal government that picks favourites and targets others is the concern. Examples? Old stock white Canadians, especially males, and Christians. Their record on protecting Jews during these days of rapid pro-Palestinian protests is hardly sterling.Meanwhile, the CHRC is guilty of discrimination, more than once.“This Governor in Council appointment is the result of a rigorous, open, transparent, and merit-based selection process,” read a June 14 Justice press release announcing Datanni’s appointment.Apparently, it wasn’t “rigorous” enough. Or, considering the Liberal government’s stand on issues, maybe it was. Dattani’s past actions were also somehow missed or overlooked when he was appointed a director to the Yukon Human Rights Commission.But now Virani’s office is “reviewing” past comments and activities of Dattani whom they had described as a “champion of human rights and diversity.”“I am extremely troubled by information that has surfaced regarding Mr. Dattani’s past conduct,” Liberal MP Anthony Housefather wrote in an open letter posted to X. “I understand that Mr. Dattani did not disclose this information.” How did his past actions escape them?Jewish groups raised concerns about Dattani’s vetting. We should all be concerned.Dattani posted in England under the false name on a platform shared with the Islamist fundamentalist organization Hizb ut-Tahir — banned by Britain — that decried the existence of Israel and aims to form a new caliphate.Dattani told the Globe and Mail he didn’t share the organization’s views and merely flagged an academic paper more than a decade ago.Dattani said that when he joined a panel with a Hizb ut-Tahir in Britain in 2015 he had no clue about the “other panelists affiliations and had never met them before,” CBC reported.“I challenged the views of the other panel members and I wholeheartedly disagree with and condemn Hizb ut-Tahrir,” he claimed to CBC in an email.“I am confident that the investigation will vindicate my longstanding commitment to human rights.” Well, certainly a video or transcript of that panel discussion during which he allegedly condemned the extremists would go a long way in vindicating him.Dattani maintains he is “wholly committed to “combatting both antisemitism and Islamophobia.”Great! Examples of him combatting antisemitism would sure help clear his tarnished reputation.Dattani studied at the London School of Economics and the School of Oriental African studies where he also taught and published on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Did the Justice department take a peek at what he taught and published? If not, why not? If so, was there anything in there to lead decision-makers to believe he’d be a champion of all human rights, including Jews?Some, including the Justice Department, point to the fact that Dattani’s posts were made 10 or 12 years ago.Irrelevant.“The appointment of someone with such a deeply flawed background only exacerbates the skeptical public perceptions of the CHRC and undermines our confidence in the commission's ability to adjudicate issues of hate and discrimination,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) told the CBC.Even the Liberals will have a hard time arguing with that. But with them, who knows? If Dattani gets to keep his new job, the first task for incoming prime minister Pierre Poilievre must be to find a new CHRC commissioner. Activists needn’t apply.
