Former justice minister David Lametti questions suitability of new human-rights chief

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Birju Dattani, recently appointed to lead the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issued a statement indicating he has no intention of quitting

Former justice minister David Lametti has questioned whether Birju Dattani is fit to lead the Canadian Human Rights Commission, since he has not been forthcoming about his past activities.Canada’s new human-rights chief faced fresh pressure to resign Thursday after a former justice minister questioned whether he is fit for the role and Jewish groups issued a joint statement urging the current Justice Minister to rescind Birju Dattani’s job offer.

“Any time you mislead or conceal your past in order to advance your career, that’s problematic. And if that impedes your ability to be neutral and to do the job properly, it’s inconceivable that you could remain in that role,” Mr. Lametti told The Globe and Mail. The statement said information that has emerged since his appointment suggests that “he is an unfit candidate.”

“At a time of heightened divisions and rising levels of antisemitism in Canada, it is essential that Canada’s human-rights commissioner be a leader who represents Canadian values,” it said. “Regrettably, I find myself the target of unfounded allegations. I stand resolutely behind my record,” he said. “I am confident that the investigation will vindicate my long-standing commitment to human rights. For clarification, my recent apology was not an admission of wrongdoing; rather, it was an expression of empathy for those who have been distressed by these unfounded allegations.”

Also in London, Mr. Dattani shared a stage with a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist fundamentalist group banned in Britain that favours global Sharia law. Mr. Dattani said he was unaware he would be appearing alongside a Hizb ut-Tahrir member.

 

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