The Honourable Rahim Jaffer

Rahim Jaffer was first elected to the House of Commons as a 25 year old Reform party member.  He was considered a rising star by a Reform party eager to appeal to minority constitutents.

Mr Jaffer was different than most Reform/Canadian Alliance/Conservative MP's.  He was an immigrant, dark skinned and muslim.  It was good that a person of such a background could feel comfortable in those parties.  It would have been better if he had been more of a grownup.....but that may be a bit much to ask of a 25 year old.

He is no longer a Member of Parliament, having been voted out in 2008.  However he is very much in the news due to his arrest and subsequent events.  He was charged with speeding, exceeding the blood alcohol limit and cocaine possession.  The plea bargain resulted in a $500 dollar fine along with a guilty plea of careless driving.  The other charges were dropped.

The presiding judge acknowledged in his comments that Mr Jaffer had caught a "break".

As a private citizen, Mr Jaffer's obligations are different.  He doesn't need to speak publicly about what happened.  Nonetheless, some Canadians have some understandable questions.

1) Did he receive special treatment as a former Parliamentarion?  It was a provincial judge appointed by Ontario's Attorney General Jim Flaherty.  Mr Flaherty is now Finance Minister.
2) What happened to the cocaine possession charge.  Why was this dropped?

Mr Jaffer may not have to answer publicly but the people are understandably concerned.  If the cocaine possession evidence was suppressed due to police misconduct, then there is a public interest in knowing.

Some members of the Ontario Government should be speaking up now.  This does smell and looks like a privileged person getting special treatment.  It would be in the pubic interest to disabuse the public of such an impression......if indeed the facts support that view.