CDI's Response to MP Salma Zahid's Letter: Seeking Further Clarification
Background
On May 28, 2026, CDI sent an open letter to MP Salma Zahid requesting clarification regarding statements she had publicly shared concerning a CBSA decision.
MP Zahid subsequently provided a written response, which CDI published in full in the interest of transparency.
After carefully reviewing that response, CDI concluded that several of the key questions raised in its original correspondence remain unanswered. The following letter respectfully outlines those outstanding concerns and seeks further clarification.
For readers wishing to review the full exchange:
• CDI's follow-up response (below)
June 4, 2026
The Honourable Salma Zahid
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
Subject: Response to your May 31, 2026 Regarding the Publicly Shared Post Concerning CBSA Decisions
Dear MP Zahid,
Thank you for your response and for taking the time to address the concerns raised in our letter.
We appreciate your clarification that you were unfamiliar with Mr. Al Najim, his views, and his history at the time the photograph was taken. We also welcome your unequivocal statement that elected officials cannot and should not influence admissibility decisions made by the Canada Border Services Agency.
That said, one aspect of our inquiry remains unclear. Our concern was not limited to matters involving Iran. Rather, we sought clarification regarding the reported inadmissibility of certain speakers associated with the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) convention and whether any representations, assurances, or advocacy efforts had been undertaken on their behalf.
While your letter states that you have had no conversations with CBSA or Public Safety regarding anything to do with Iran, it also notes that concerns relating to the MAC convention were raised with you by constituents and that the matter was discussed with public safety officials in the context of due process and procedural fairness. That is why we sought further clarification regarding the nature and scope of those discussions, as this was one of the principal questions raised in our original correspondence.
More broadly, we believe this episode highlights the importance of vigilance and due diligence on the part of all elected officials. Members of Parliament routinely engage with constituents and community groups, often in fast-moving and informal settings. However, where individuals or organizations are associated with controversy, extremist rhetoric, or concerns relating to public safety and social cohesion, Canadians reasonably expect their elected representatives to exercise heightened caution and scrutiny.
Our objective has never been to question legitimate constituency work or the principle of procedural fairness. Rather, it has been to seek transparency and reassurance that public confidence in Canada’s immigration, security, and democratic institutions is maintained.
We appreciate your willingness to engage with these concerns and look forward to any additional clarification you may wish to provide.
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