Latest news with #RahimJaffer
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former conservative MP Rahim Jaffer running for mayor, after years out of the public eye
A former conservative MP who left public life nearly 15 years ago says he wants to be Edmonton's next mayor. Rahim Jaffer — who represented Edmonton-Strathcona in Parliament for more than 11 years — says a private life of parenthood, running a small business, and sitting on school councils has put him in touch with community needs. Jaffer made headlines during his days in politics and in years to follow after a flurry of controversies, including a traffic violation, a finding that he broke the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct and a phoney interview on a Vancouver radio show. Why is he running for mayor? "The amount of challenges and lack of focus that I find in creating an environment for Edmontonians to really succeed, whether it's in business or any other area that they are focused on," he said in an interview Wednesday with CBC News. "Our city can do so much better, and I hope to offer that change." Five other contenders have also signalled their intent to run for mayor in Edmonton's Oct. 20 municipal election. They are: Past councillor Tony Caterina Ward pihêsiwin councillor Tim Cartmell Geological engineer Abdul Malik Chukwudi Ward Nakota Isga councillor Andrew Knack Pediatric dental surgeon Omar Mohammad Jaffer says feedback from customers at his Whyte Avenue restaurant, The Rooster, and the struggles of small business owners are among the frustrations prompting his council run. He says business owners are facing insurmountable costs and lengthy delays when trying to get permits to improve commercial properties. Jaffer said sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for him. "Over the last decade, I've just seen a decline of the city," he said. "What I've continuously heard from people, over and over, is we really need some change. So today I'm going to offer that change." He said what differentiates him from other candidates who share his ideology is that he hasn't spent years in council chambers. Jaffer has a colourful history from his time as an MP, and in the years immediately following elected life. He says he won't try to run from those controversies — that at least his skeletons are all out in the open. "I was given a pink card, and it gave me a chance to take some steps back and think about things," said Jaffer, 53. "I was very fortunate to be able to have a son soon after. I had all that excitement when I left Ottawa, so I really focused on that." All that excitement, as he called it, includes a conviction for a provincial traffic offence of careless driving in connection with a September 10, 2009, incident in the village of Palgrave, Ont, after he'd left office. Jaffer accepted a plea deal, allowing him to dodge a criminal record after a traffic stop left him charged with impaired driving and possession of cocaine. A month later, Jaffer and his then-wife, Stephen Harper cabinet minister Helena Guergis, were at the centre of vague allegations of wrongdoing that saw Guergis kicked out of the Conservative caucus. The RCMP later cleared the couple of any criminal wrongdoing. Investigative reports suggested Jaffer had offered a businessperson special access to the Prime Minister's Office — access Harper's spokespeople said Jaffer didn't have. Guergis faced accusations that Jaffer was using the leverage of her office to make business deals. She then sat as an independent, and then lost the seat in the 2011 election. In 2011, the federal lobbying commissioner ruled Jaffer and his business partner at the time broke federal rules by neglecting to register as lobbyists while seeking federal funding for their projects. Jaffer also faced heat earlier in his political career when one of his staffers imitated him for a 45-minute live segment on a Vancouver radio station. What would 2025 Jaffer say to his 38-year-old self? "Hopefully you've learned a lot of lessons," he said. "I was young when I was in politics. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve this community for almost 12 years as the member of Parliament. And you know, when you have that kind of profile, you're also a target. So, look. I made mistakes." Businessperson and former Edmonton MP Ian McClelland, who served alongside Jaffer in Parliament and officiated his wedding to Guergis, said he was surprised to hear about Jaffer's mayoral run. "My initial reaction is, 'Why would he want to put himself into that position?'" he said in an interview Wednesday. "And my secondary reaction was, everyone deserves a second chance. He's a bright person. He comes from a very good family … I don't know anybody that hasn't made a stupid mistake in their life." McClelland says he hasn't talked to Jaffer in years. He said city council could benefit from more members who have experience trying to run a business in Edmonton. "Rahim has a huge hill to climb, and if he's able to do it, more power to him," he said.
Toronto Sun
6 hours ago
- Politics
- 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
CBC
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Former conservative MP Rahim Jaffer running for mayor, after years out of the public eye
A former conservative MP who left public life nearly 15 years ago says he wants to be Edmonton's next mayor. Rahim Jaffer — who represented Edmonton-Strathcona in Parliament for more than 11 years — says a private life of parenthood, running a small business, and sitting on school councils has put him in touch with community needs. Jaffer made headlines during his days in politics and in years to follow after a flurry of controversies, including a traffic violation, a finding that he broke the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct and a phoney interview on a Vancouver radio show. Why is he running for mayor? "The amount of challenges and lack of focus that I find in creating an environment for Edmontonians to really succeed, whether it's in business or any other area that they are focused on," he said in an interview Wednesday with CBC News. "Our city can do so much better, and I hope to offer that change." Five other contenders have also signalled their intent to run for mayor in Edmonton's Oct. 20 municipal election. They are: Past councillor Tony Caterina Ward pihêsiwin councillor Tim Cartmell Geological engineer Abdul Malik Chukwudi Ward Nakota Isga councillor Andrew Knack Pediatric dental surgeon Omar Mohammad Jaffer says feedback from customers at his Whyte Avenue restaurant, The Rooster, and the struggles of small business owners are among the frustrations prompting his council run. He says business owners are facing insurmountable costs and lengthy delays when trying to get permits to improve commercial properties. Jaffer said sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for him. "Over the last decade, I've just seen a decline of the city," he said. "What I've continuously heard from people, over and over, is we really need some change. So today I'm going to offer that change." He said what differentiates him from other candidates who share his ideology is that he hasn't spent years in council chambers. Jaffer has a colourful history from his time as an MP, and in the years immediately following elected life. He says he won't try to run from those controversies — that at least his skeletons are all out in the open. "I was given a pink card, and it gave me a chance to take some steps back and think about things," said Jaffer, 53. "I was very fortunate to be able to have a son soon after. I had all that excitement when I left Ottawa, so I really focused on that." All that excitement, as he called it, includes a conviction for a provincial traffic offence of careless driving in connection with a September 10, 2009, incident in the village of Palgrave, Ont, after he'd left office. Jaffer accepted a plea deal, allowing him to dodge a criminal record after a traffic stop left him charged with impaired driving and possession of cocaine. A month later, Jaffer and his then-wife, Stephen Harper cabinet minister Helena Guergis, were at the centre of vague allegations of wrongdoing that saw Guergis kicked out of the Conservative caucus. The RCMP later cleared the couple of any criminal wrongdoing. Investigative reports suggested Jaffer had offered a businessperson special access to the Prime Minister's Office — access Harper's spokespeople said Jaffer didn't have. Guergis faced accusations that Jaffer was using the leverage of her office to make business deals. She then sat as an independent, and then lost the seat in the 2011 election. In 2011, the federal lobbying commissioner ruled Jaffer and his business partner at the time broke federal rules by neglecting to register as lobbyists while seeking federal funding for their projects. Jaffer also faced heat earlier in his political career when one of his staffers imitated him for a 45-minute live segment on a Vancouver radio station. Jaffer denies lobbying, drug use Alliance MP suspended over aide's impersonation What would 2025 Jaffer say to his 38-year-old self? "Hopefully you've learned a lot of lessons," he said. "I was young when I was in politics. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve this community for almost 12 years as the member of Parliament. And you know, when you have that kind of profile, you're also a target. So, look. I made mistakes." Businessperson and former Edmonton MP Ian McClelland, who served alongside Jaffer in Parliament and officiated his wedding to Guergis, said he was surprised to hear about Jaffer's mayoral run. "My initial reaction is, 'Why would he want to put himself into that position?'" he said in an interview Wednesday. "And my secondary reaction was, everyone deserves a second chance. He's a bright person. He comes from a very good family … I don't know anybody that hasn't made a stupid mistake in their life." McClelland says he hasn't talked to Jaffer in years. He said city council could benefit from more members who have experience trying to run a business in Edmonton. "Rahim has a huge hill to climb, and if he's able to do it, more power to him," he said.
Global News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Global News
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. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former federal politician who once faked radio interview looks to re-enter politics
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. 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. 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. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
