CDI letter to The Honourable Salma Zahid: Request for Clarification Regarding Publicly Shared Post Concerning CBSA DecisionsMay 28, 2026 The Honourable Salma Zahid House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario CC: The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree Subject: Request
May 28, 2026
The Honourable Salma Zahid
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
CC: The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree
Subject: Request for Clarification Regarding Publicly Shared Post Concerning CBSA Decisions
Dear MP Zahid,
We hope this letter finds you well.
Canadians for Democracy in Iran (CDI) is a group of concerned Canadian citizens and activist who care deeply about the integrity of Canada’s democratic institutions, public safety, and the prevention of foreign influence and extremist ideologies within our society.
We recently became aware of a social media post circulating online regarding your interaction with Mr. Firas Al Najim, including a photograph and accompanying statements attributed to him. In his post, he claimed that during your conversation, you indicated that you are “solving” the entry ban implemented by CBSA for few individuals who could not enter Canada due to CBSA’s inadmissibility criteria.
We also noted your subsequent public clarification stating that you were unaware of the imagery displayed on Mr. Al Najim’s shirt (portraits of Islamic Republic of Iran’s former supreme leaders and the current one) at the time the photo was taken, and that you would not have agreed to the photo had you noticed it. We appreciate and acknowledge that clarification. For your information, Mr. Al Najim is a known activist who has publicly supported Hamas and has a history of harassing the Iranian and Jewish communities in Canada. He was removed from TikTok for posting antisemitic remarks. He was also arrested in 2022 for driving dangerously towards protesters in support of the Women Life Freedom movement in Iran.
https://globalnews.ca/news/9222222/markham-driver-charged-protest/
However, your response did not address the statement regarding the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) matter in Mr. Al Njim’s post, which has generated understandable public concern. As you are aware CBSA decisions relating to inadmissibility are serious matters connected to security screening, immigration law, and the protection of Canada’s national interests and public safety. Public confidence in those processes is extremely important. Given the sensitivity of the issue, we the undersigned, respectfully ask for clarification on the following points:
1. What specifically was meant by the statement that you were “solving” the issue involving individuals reportedly inadmissible to enter Canada?
2. Were you referring to a routine constituency or administrative inquiry, or were any representations made on behalf of the individuals who had been denied entry to Canada?
3. Were you aware of any concerns, red flags, or allegations connected to the individuals reportedly prevented from entering Canada?
4. Did your office communicate in any capacity with CBSA, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), or any other federal department regarding these individuals?
5. More broadly, what safeguards do you believe should exist to ensure that elected officials are not perceived as intervening in matters involving legal and security processes concerning individuals connected to extremist rhetoric or foreign ideological influence?
We believe these questions can be addressed respectfully and transparently in a manner that reassures the public and reinforces confidence in Canada’s institutions and protection of our Canadian values of democracy, human rights, public safety, and the rule of law.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We would appreciate a timely response.
Respectfully,
Farrokh Zandi, PhD
Chairman,
Canadians for Democracy in Iran
Co-Signed by:
Organizations:
- Iranian Canadian Legal Professionals (ICLP)
- Iranian Women Organization of Ontario (IWOO)
- 1Kalameh Network
Individuals:
- Arsalan Kahnemuyipour – Professor and Chair, Department of Language Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Babak Payami – Filmmaker
- Bahram Jalayer - Community Activist and Management Consultant
- Farid Rohani – Former Chair Laurier Institution
Kaveh Shahrooz – Lawyer and human rights activist, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute