Privy Council Office Modifies Vetting Process Following Appointment of Human Rights Chief
The administrative wing of the Prime Minister’s Office has announced new procedures for vetting federal appointees. This comes after concerns were raised that they failed to search online posts made by the incoming head of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Birju Dattani was appointed chief commissioner in June and is scheduled to begin his role in August.
Following his appointment, Jewish organizations expressed concerns about the screening process and posts he had made about Israel almost a decade ago while attending graduate school under a different name.
In response to these concerns, Justice Minister Arif Vriani’s office has initiated an independent investigation into Mr. Dattani’s previous statements that could be considered “troubling” before he assumes his new position.
A spokesperson for the Privy Council Office, responsible for vetting appointments, acknowledged an “administrative oversight” during Mr. Dattani’s vetting process. They revealed that Mr. Dattani’s alternate name was not searched or shared with the security agencies involved in background checks.
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Mr. Savoie confirms that the RCMP and CSIS are currently reviewing the situation and ensuring that all aliases are thoroughly screened in future vetting processes.
Mr. Dattani has refuted the allegations against him, stating that they are baseless, and has expressed his commitment to his work in the field of human rights.
