A former director of human rights for the Yukon Human Rights Commission has been appointed as Canada’s top commissioner.
Birju Dattani’s five-year term under the appointment as chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission begins Aug. 8.
A biography offered on the Law Society of Yukon website notes Dattani is originally from Calgary. He is the son of refugees from Uganda. He has plenty of practical and academic experience in human rights.
The appointment was made on the recommendation of federal Justice Minister Arif Virani and signed off by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon by way of an order in council.
In a press release, Virani said Dattani’s appointment comes at a “pivotal time” for the national human rights institution.
“He brings a wealth of both professional and personal lived experience to this role,” Virani said. “Our government remains committed to the protection of all human rights in Canada, including the fight against racism, and to strengthening our country’s role within the international human rights system.”
The release describes Dattani as an established expert in human rights law and a “champion for equity, diversity and inclusion.”
According to his biography in the release, Dattani studied law at the University of Wales and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has also taught law at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
Dattani began his legal career as the director of legal operations for international law with the Syrian Legal Development Program under the auspices of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, per the bio.
He was previously assistant regional director at the Alberta Human Rights Commission, where he assessed human rights complaints and advised the executive on legislative, policy and regulatory issues.
Dattani was executive director of the Yukon Human Rights Commission for three years prior to joining Toronto's Centennial College in 2023 as the director of human rights and conflict resolution.
In a release from the Yukon Human Rights Commission, Michael Dougherty, the commission's chair, expressed confidence in Dattani’s leadership in dealing with internal and external challenges facing the national institution. Dougherty cited “unresolved issues with Indigenous communities to the ongoing concerns over Canada’s stances on international conflicts such as the Middle East crisis.”
Canada’s national human rights institution was created through the Canadian Human Rights Act in 1977. Its mission, values and structure are similar to the Yukon commission, where Dattani worked from 2020 to 2023.
COVID-19-related inquiries made up a large part of the commission’s work during his time.
His office fielded hundreds of inquiries regarding employment issues related to COVID-19 and mandatory workplace vaccine policies following the Yukon government’s temporary vaccine mandate, which has ended. While inquiries relating to the vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 issues became quite common, few of them have proceeded to the stage of a formal complaint under the Yukon Human Rights Act.
Dattani will replace interim chief commissioner Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, who has been in the role since December 2022, at the national level.
— With files from Jim Elliot
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
