Former federal politician who once faked radio interview plans to run for mayor in Edmonton
A former member of Parliament who once made headlines for faking a radio interview says he's looking to throw his hat back into the political ring.
Rahim Jaffer says he plans to break back into politics by running for mayor this October in Edmonton's upcoming election.
On his campaign website, he says he would be tough on crime, reinvigorate public spaces and give Edmonton the 'hard reset' he feels it needs.
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The four-term Conservative MP landed in hot water in 2001 after an aide impersonated him during a national radio interview.
Jaffer lost his seat in 2008 in a surprising defeat to Linda Duncan of the NDP and, upon leaving politics, was pulled over and charged with impaired driving and drug possession in Ontario.
2:05
Alberta NDP MP Linda Duncan won't seek re-election
He later pleaded guilty to careless driving, sparking debate from Liberal MPs who said the former politician had been given a slap on the wrist and accused the Harper Conservatives of going soft on their tough-on-crime values.
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Winnipeg Free Press
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Toronto Sun
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- Toronto Sun
Former MP Rahim Jaffer returns to politics with bid to be Edmonton's mayor
Jaffer tells Postmedia he plans to base campaign on taxes, public safety reforms, better business climate Rahim Jaffer will be running for mayor in the next municipal election. Taken on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 in Edmonton. Greg Southam-Postmedia Photo by Greg Southam / Greg Southam The race to become Edmonton's next mayor is getting a little more crowded as former member of Parliament Rahim Jaffer has decided to enter the fray. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Jaffer, 53, is set to announce his candidacy Wednesday afternoon at his Whyte Avenue restaurant The Rooster Kitchen and Bar. In an interview ahead of the event, Jaffer told Postmedia he plans to base his campaign on taxes and public safety reforms while creating a better business climate. 'I've been seeing this decline in the city for the last how many years, and all I've seen is people struggling, businesses that should be thriving that are closing or barely surviving, and the crime in the city — I never remember crime being at the levels it's at,' he said. 'I couldn't sit on the sidelines any longer. I think with my previous service and then of course my business experience, I really feel the city needs a hard reset, needs a fresh start and new vision, a new focus and new leadership. Win or lose, I am going to try to add that to the mix.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Jaffer served as a Reform and Conservative MP in the riding of Edmonton Strathcona from 1997 to 2008. Starting at age 25, he won four straight elections before losing a close one to the NDP, which has held the riding ever since. One of Jaffer's parliamentary career highlights was serving as Conservative caucus chair from 2006 to 2008, when the party first formed government under then-prime minister Stephen Harper. His time in office was also not without controversy, such as when he allowed an aide to impersonate him for a radio interview he couldn't attend in 2001. He also ran into trouble in his post-political life in 2009 when he was charged with drunk driving and cocaine possession after police in Ontario pulled him over for speeding. The charges were later dropped while Jaffer pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of careless driving, a move that prompted critics to say he had received special treatment. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When asked this week how he plans to handle questions about his past, Jaffer said all he can do is try to convince people he's learned and grown in the 16 years that have passed since then. 'Paid a price' 'I am fortunate, unlike maybe other future politicians, that I don't have any skeletons in the closet. They are all out there if anybody wants to look at them. We all make mistakes, and I stumbled,' Jaffer told Postmedia. 'I sure paid a price in terms of how much negative attention I got during that time. Of course, I am now focused on the future. And I think people seem to appreciate someone they can relate to who picks themselves up and actually continues to move forward.' Jaffer grew up in Edmonton as part of a well-known family with business interests in commercial properties, hotels and restaurants, among other things. He attended Ross Sheppard High School and then went to Ontario for university. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After his political career ended, he and his then-wife, Helena Guergis, also a former Conservative MP, returned to Edmonton in 2012. The couple split a short time later, but has remained close, Jaffer said. He said his main role upon returning to Edmonton was as a stay-at-home father to son Zavier. He eventually became more active in business, taking over the restaurant space on Whyte Avenue in 2017, which his parents had operated as a cafe for many years. From that vantage point, Jaffer said he has gained perspective from managing the hardships of small business and hearing from countless customers about their views on the direction of Edmonton. That, in turn, reignited his desire to serve in political office again. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I wish some of our public leaders understood that in order to have businesses flourish, you have to create an environment for success. And that is something I remember so vividly growing up in this city … there was so much private money flowing from people who were successful into those public areas that it made it easier for governments to manage,' he said. Jaffer said he is not forming a municipal party or joining one, but would work with anyone elected to council. Other contenders for mayor are two current city councillors, Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack, and former city councillor Tony Caterina. Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun . Toronto Raptors Canada Toronto & GTA Music Toronto Maple Leafs
Global News
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- Global News
MMA fighter who crashed into Aldergrove building avoids jail time
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