The embattled head of the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has not resigned, despite being asked to do so by Justice Minister Tyler Shandro..Collin May, who has long been devoted to seeking for justice for others, is now in a fight to clear his reputation and get justice for himself after being accused of penning Islamophobic views 13 years ago..“No,” he said firmly when asked if he resigned..“What do you say? I’ve been maligned. I’ve been mistreated. It’s not easy but I’m fighting back,” said May who broke his silence in an exclusive interview Wednesday with the Western Standard..“I’m not Islamophobic,” said May, who said he received “threatening calls” originating from Vancouver to Toronto..May is necessarily cautious about what he says. As chief of a quasi-judicial tribunal, he's restricted in what he can say..“I’ve got two legal actions. I’ve got lawyers in Toronto and lawyers in Calgary. There’s a lot that does need to come out that I think will shock people, but it has to come out in the right way at the right time.”.“I can’t really comment too much on it. You have to look at the NDP. This was their attack. There are reasons they did this to me. Reasons that have to do with some claims against them, claims here at the commission,” he alleged..At issue is a C2C Journal review May wrote in 2009 of Israeli-British historian Efraim Karsh’s book, 'Islamic Imperialism: A History.'.Karsh challenged the view Islam is a peaceful religion misused by a minority of terrorists..“Rather, it is one of the most militaristic religions known to man, and it is precisely this militaristic heritage that informs the actions of radicals throughout the Muslim world,” wrote May to explain Karsh’s views..May, a Calgary lawyer, served on the AHRC since 2019..Soon after he officially stepped into his role as Chief of the Commission and Tribunals in July — the first gay man to ever hold the prestigious position — he was criticized for that review written all those years ago..On Monday, 28 Muslim groups and mosques condemned May and sent a letter calling for May’s resignation to Shandro that was also posted online .."Dear Minister Shandro, we write this letter to you to formally ask for the resignation of Colin (sic) May, appointed Chair of the Alberta Human Rights Commission in May 2022," stated the letter from National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCMM.).The letter alleged May refused to meet with Alberta Muslim community leaders..Shandro swiftly moved to oblige, and the next day sent May a letter asking him to resign..May declined to reveal the contents of Shandro’s letter — for now. (Interestingly, the media was informed Monday his resignation was being sought, but the Justice Department didn't tell May until the following day.).But May wrote much more that is being ignored in his lengthy review that had nothing to do with addressing Islamic believers in non-predominantly Muslim countries like Canada..“At the time I wrote it, the issue of whether or not Muslim countries can become constitutional democracies, or liberal, was a very live issue. It’s not so much now, it’s kind of gone away after the Arab Spring.”.He, of course, refers to the anti-government uprisings and armed rebellions that spread through the Arab world in 2110..“That was the big issue.”.Many opined the Arab world was moving towards a liberal democracy, along with Russia and China, he said..“Of course, my conclusion was that I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”.“My real conclusions are not hostile to Islam.”.“It’s not that I don’t have some sympathy for it. My conclusion really was well, maybe it’s not fair for us to be trying to force Muslim countries — and it’s about majority Muslim countries, it’s not about Muslims as minorities in the West — so it’s not fair of us to be expecting them to turn into us.”.May earned a Harvard University master’s degree in theological studies. One of his key areas was medieval Muslim, Jewish, and Christian philosophy..“I studied (Abu Nasr) Al-Farabi and (Ibn Rushd) Averroes and (Ibn Sina) Avicenna and (Muhammd) Al-Gazzali, and their impact on (Thomas) Aquinus and (John Duns) Scotus and (William of) Ockham.”.May was blindsided when he was branded Islamophobic..“It’s been very hard. It’s been very difficult for me and my family,” he said..The day after a July 7 new report citing allegations of his Islamophobic nature, the “hostile calls” started..“They came through my law firm phone number. So, my law firm took down my website page and my phone number. After the first one I didn’t answer my phone anymore.”.“You could tell that I was getting hostile calls from Toronto, from Vancouver.”.May said “a lot more will come out” on the origins of what appears to be a coordinated attack..“I came into this job because I had a significant interest in complaints processes, because, of course, that’s what we do here.”.“My father had passed away in 2017 in bad circumstances and I had to deal with a lot of complaints processes, including one that come after us as family. That story will have to come out too because that’s why I took this job.”.“I’m the first openly gay man to have this job, but that doesn’t matter to anybody. That community’s been pushed out. I'd hoped to bring in a trans woman who’s a friend of mine, to help with some of that work here.”.He’s done incredible work with indigenous health care issues..“I have done pro bono work for a man who’s First Nations wife died in Hannah, AB. I’ve done work with him trying to get justice for her.”.In fact, Shandro was so impressed with May he appointed him to the College of Physicians and Surgeons provincial counsel “because of the work I’ve done with him.”.“Those are the things I was hoping to do, but all that’s been taken away.”.One letter. One horrific accusation. No other evidence of Islamophobic inclinations and the government that celebrated appointing May, spit him out.
