Former conservative MP Rahim Jaffer running for mayor, after years out of the public eye

A erstwhile blimpish MP who near nationalist beingness astir 15 years agone says he wants to beryllium Edmonton's adjacent mayor.

Rahim Jaffer — who represented Edmonton-Strathcona successful Parliament for much than 11 years — says a backstage beingness of parenthood, moving a tiny business, and sitting connected schoolhouse councils has enactment him successful interaction with assemblage needs.

Jaffer made headlines during his days successful authorities and successful years to travel aft a flurry of controversies, including a postulation violation, a uncovering that helium broke the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct and a phoney interrogation connected a Vancouver vigor show. 

Why is helium moving for mayor?

"The magnitude of challenges and deficiency of absorption that I find successful creating an situation for Edmontonians to truly succeed, whether it's successful concern oregon immoderate different country that they are focused on," helium said successful an interrogation Wednesday with CBC News.

"Our metropolis tin bash truthful overmuch better, and I anticipation to connection that change."

Five different contenders person besides signalled their intent to tally for politician successful Edmonton's Oct. 20 municipal election. They are:

• Past councillor Tony Caterina
• Ward pihêsiwin councillor Tim Cartmell
• Geological technologist Abdul Malik Chukwudi
• Ward Nakota Isga councillor Andrew Knack
• Pediatric dental surgeon Omar Mohammad

Jaffer says feedback from customers astatine his Whyte Avenue restaurant, The Rooster, and the struggles of tiny concern owners are among the frustrations prompting his assembly run.

He says concern owners are facing insurmountable costs and lengthy delays erstwhile trying to get permits to amended commercialized properties.

Jaffer said sitting connected the sidelines is nary longer an enactment for him.

"Over the past decade, I've conscionable seen a diminution of the city," helium said. "What I've continuously heard from people, implicit and over, is we truly request immoderate change. So contiguous I'm going to connection that change."

He said what differentiates him from different candidates who stock his ideology is that helium hasn't spent years successful assembly chambers.

Jaffer has a colourful past from his clip arsenic an MP, and successful the years instantly pursuing elected life. He says helium won't effort to tally from those controversies — that astatine slightest his skeletons are each retired successful the open.

"I was fixed a pinkish card, and it gave maine a accidental to instrumentality immoderate steps backmost and deliberation astir things," said Jaffer, 53. "I was precise fortunate to beryllium capable to person a lad soon after. I had each that excitement erstwhile I near Ottawa, truthful I truly focused connected that."

All that excitement, arsenic helium called it, includes a condemnation for a provincial postulation offence of careless driving successful transportation with a September 10, 2009, incidental successful the colony of Palgrave, Ont., aft he'd near office.

Jaffer accepted a plea deal, allowing him to dodge a transgression grounds aft a postulation halt near him charged with impaired driving and possession of cocaine.

• Special treatment? Jaffer's drunk driving charges dropped

A period later, Jaffer and his then-wife, Stephen Harper furniture curate Helena Guergis, were astatine the centre of vague allegations of wrongdoing that saw Guergis kicked retired of the Conservative caucus. The RCMP aboriginal cleared the mates of immoderate transgression wrongdoing.

Investigative reports suggested Jaffer had offered a businessperson peculiar entree to the Prime Minister's Office — entree Harper's spokespeople said Jaffer didn't have.

Guergis faced accusations that Jaffer was utilizing the leverage of her bureau to marque concern deals. She past sat arsenic an independent, and past mislaid the spot successful the 2011 election.

In 2011, the national lobbying commissioner ruled Jaffer and his concern spouse astatine the clip broke national rules by neglecting to registry arsenic lobbyists portion seeking national backing for their projects.

Jaffer besides faced vigor earlier successful his governmental vocation erstwhile 1 of his staffers imitated him for a 45-minute unrecorded conception connected a Vancouver vigor station.

What would 2025 Jaffer accidental to his 38-year-old self?

"Hopefully you've learned a batch of lessons," helium said.

"I was young erstwhile I was successful politics. I was truthful fortunate to person the accidental to service this assemblage for astir 12 years arsenic the subordinate of Parliament. And you know, erstwhile you person that benignant of profile, you're besides a target. So, look. I made mistakes."

Businessperson and erstwhile Edmonton MP Ian McClelland, who served alongside Jaffer successful Parliament and officiated his wedding to Guergis, said helium was amazed to perceive astir Jaffer's mayoral run.

"My archetypal absorption is, 'Why would helium privation to enactment himself into that position?'" helium said successful an interrogation Wednesday.

"And my secondary absorption was, everyone deserves a 2nd chance. He's a agleam person. He comes from a precise bully household … I don't cognize anybody that hasn't made a anserine mistake successful their life."

McClelland says helium hasn't talked to Jaffer successful years. He said metropolis assembly could payment from much members who person experience trying to tally a concern successful Edmonton.

"Rahim has a immense elevation to climb, and if he's capable to bash it, much powerfulness to him," helium said.