Former conservative MP Rahim Jaffer running for mayor, after years out of the public eye
Struggles of small business owners among Jaffer's reasons for running
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.
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