Justice Minister Tyler Shandro calls on head of Alberta Human Rights Commission to resign

Justice Minister Tyler Shandro called on the head of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, Collin May, to resign, responding to concerns raised by more than two dozen Muslim organizations.

In July, May came under fire following the revamping of a 2009 book review he wrote which critics said highlighted Islamophobic ideas.

In response, May said in a statement that he was committed to meeting with Alberta’s Muslim community “to learn more about their lived experiences in Alberta and to work to overcome discrimination against the Islamic community.”

However, a open letter signed by 28 Alberta-based Muslim organizations released on Monday claims that May did not meet with Muslim leaders.

“After receiving the letter, Minister Shandro sought an explanation from Mr. May,” Shandro’s press secretary, Joseph Dow, said in an emailed statement. “After reviewing the explanation, Minister Shandro requested Mr. May’s resignation.”

CBC requested an interview with May or a representative from the Alberta Human Rights Commission on Monday, but received no response. The commission told CBC in July that his political mandate prevented a leader from giving media interviews in order to maintain his neutrality.

National Council of Canadian Muslims spokesman Said Omar said that after May pledged to work with the community, Muslim leaders suggested meeting dates with May, which he declined.

May never responded to their request to come up with suitable dates, Omar said.

Following the initial controversy, the NCCM also learned that May had sent letters threatening legal action, Omar said.

Omar declined to say who had received legal letters from May, but confirmed that neither the NCCM nor any of the signatories to the open letter had received any.

CBC has received a letter threatening legal action from May over an article published on July 16 about the book review controversy.

The open letter calls May’s actions “simply unacceptable.”

“At a time when brazen attacks on Muslims in Alberta are on the rise, specifically targeting Black Muslim women wearing the hijab, Mr. May’s decision to threaten to sue his critics, while simultaneously suggesting contact with Muslim communities in Alberta, was extraordinary and shocking,” the letter said.

May, a Calgary lawyer, began his new five-year role as chief in July after serving on the commission since 2019.

Soon after, he was criticized for a review by British-Israeli historian Efraim Karsh Islamic Imperialism: A History.

In the review, May highlighted Karsh’s Islamophobic position that Islam is inherently militaristic.

“[Karsh] challenges the multicultural illusion of peaceful Islam and gets to the heart of the matter. Islam is not a peaceful religion hijacked by radicals. On the contrary, it is one of the most militaristic religions known to man, and it is precisely this militaristic heritage that informs the actions of radicals across the Muslim world,” May wrote in her 2009 review.

In a July interview, Omar explained that the understanding of Islam is incorrect and not a view shared by most, if any, Muslims.

The Alberta Human Rights Commission is an independent commission created by the Government of Alberta. Its director and staff deal with complaints filed under the Alberta Human Rights Act.

May’s role as head of the commission is to review appeals of the director’s decisions and appoint commission members to serve on human rights tribunals. The Chief is also responsible for keeping the Minister of Justice informed on human rights issues and providing guidance to the Director and other members of the commission.