MPS, POLITICOS BUZZING ABOUT JAFFER'S DRUNK DRIVING, COCAINE POSSESSION ARREST

Four-Term Former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer Was Once A Hill Star.

Former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, the first Muslim elected to
Parliament in 1997 and once a celebrated Tory caucus star, was the
talk of political Ottawa last week after he was arrested for drunk
driving and cocaine possession.

Since becoming the only Alberta Tory to lose the seat he held for 11
years in the last election, Mr. Jaffer's star has fallen quickly.

Last Wednesday evening, as Ottawa's power elite trickled into Library
and Archives Canada for The Hill Times' 20th anniversary party, Mr.
Jaffer's arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession on Sept. 11
was what everyone was talking about.

"My thoughts are with them," said International Trade Minister
Stockwell Day (Okanagan-Coquihalla, B.C.), of Mr. Jaffer and his
wife, Minister of State for Status of Women Helena Guergis
(Simcoe-Grey, Ont.). "They are friends of mine and other than that
this is a matter that they are dealing with and that's all I have to
say about it."

Mr. Day spoke to The Hill Times at the Montreal party held last
Thursday for former Tory prime minister Brian Mulroney, to mark the
25th anniversary of his first election victory, but most of Mr.
Jaffer's former caucus colleagues were tightlipped about his arrest
in his wife's Simcoe-Grey, Ont., riding. He was pulled over for
speeding and the police officer detected alcohol on his breath. A
Breathalyzer was administered, and cocaine was found in the vehicle,
a Ford Escape.

Conservative MP James Rajotte (Edmonton-Leduc, Alta.), a close friend
of Mr. Jaffer's who served as a witness at his wedding to Ms. Guergis
the day after he was defeated in the last election, said he couldn't
comment for legal reasons.

Others simply walked away when asked. "Rahim was a long time
colleague and friend and my thoughts and prayers go with him," said
Tory MP Brian Jean (Fort McMurray-Athabasca, Alta.), who was also at
the Mulroney party.

Mr. Jaffer, who is fluent in French, was consistently a strong
performer in the House of Commons, a staple on political panels, and
was well-liked by MPs of all stripes.

But Mr. Jaffer has made some mistakes. In 2001, he allowed an aide,
Matthew Johnston, to impersonate him during a radio interview. He was
suspended from his critic role for several months, and although he
made an emotional apology in the House the incident followed him around.

The night of the last federal election, on Oct. 14, 2008, two TV
stations reported that Mr. Jaffer was re-elected, and he delivered a
victory speech at an Edmonton bar called "The Ranch" before learning
he had actually been defeated by NDP MP Linda Duncan by 463 votes. He
retreated to the bar's kitchen, and when he emerged an hour later he
promptly left the bar without taking any questions from the media.

Last week MPs from other parties were staying away from commenting on
Mr. Jaffer's arrest, and Liberals were given a directive from party
brass not to try and make political hay out of the incident.

"I feel badly for him. I have nothing to say, it's before the
courts," said Ms. Duncan.

Liberal MP Michelle Simson (Scarborough Southwest, Ont.) Tweeted
about Mr. Jaffer's arrest from The Hill Times party. She made a point
of mentioning the government's crime bills, and many commentators
last week drew attention to Mr. Jaffer's attacks on the NDP in the
past for having a relaxed attitude towards marijuana.

"Gr8 20th BD party 4 Hill Times tonite. Jaffer dui & drug bust was
all the talk. Tough on crime bills came just in the nick of time,"
wrote Ms. Simson.

After Mr. Jaffer's defeat he focused on completing his MBA, and
stayed active in Ottawa social circles, attending events with his
wife including her swearing into Mr. Harper's new Cabinet. He was a
good sport about his newly-acquired status as a private citizen,
often joking that he was happy having Ms. Guergis act as his "sugar
mamma," although he always hinted he intended to try and reclaim his
seat in the next election.

It was not to be, however, after the Conservative Party decided to
move up the date of the nomination meeting, which reportedly was
intended to shut Mr. Jaffer out of the race. Instead, former PMO
staffer Ryan Hastman will try and reclaim the seat in the next
election. The Canadian Press reported that the relationship between
Mr. Jaffer and the Prime Minister had become strained, and that Mr.
Harper had shelved plans to promote him.

"Whether or not I was going to run, if you really want to get the
best possible candidates, why would you want to rush it?" Mr. Jaffer
said at the time of the nomination meeting. But he maintained there
were "no hard feelings" and said he and Ms. Guergis were thinking of
starting a family.

But some criticize the Conservative Party's treatment of Mr. Jaffer.
Labour Minister Rona Ambrose (Edmonton-Spruce Grove, Alta.), the
regional minister for the Edmonton area, attracted most of the
spotlight and basked in the glow of government spending announcements
that should have been shared among the local MPs, one insider said.

Last Friday, in a statement e-mailed to the Edmonton Journal, Mr.
Jaffer said he was innocent of the charges against him.

"I intend to fight the serious accusations that have been made
against me," he said. "I am innocent and am confident of full exoneration."

Mr. Day said that the incident won't affect Ms. Guergis's chances in
the next election, nor Mr. Hastman's in his old riding.

"Former MPs, no matter what they are involved in, once they leave
have very little bearing on what goes on in the future. The day I
retire from politics I won't be much of a force in the constituency
where I serve, it will be the new people and that's how politics
works regardless of the circumstances," he said.

Former Ontario Progressive Conservative Minister Janet Ecker, whom
Ms. Guergis worked for in several different ministries, said Mr.
Jaffer's arrest should not reflect badly on Ms. Guergis.

"She's a public figure. There's nothing that I am aware of that says
she has done anything inappropriate."

Mr. Jaffer's licence has been suspended, and he is charged with
speeding, driving under the influence, and cocaine possession.-With
files from Abbas Rana