As everyone knows by now, former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer pleaded guilty to careless driving this morning and was given a rather tiny fine of $500. The former Edmonton MP was charged in September with possession of cocaine and driving under the influence after being stopped for driving 93 km/h in a 50 zone.
But the cocaine and drunk driving charges were withdrawn before the charges were ever brought to court. According to the prosecution, there was no reasonable possibility of conviction on the serious charges, citing “significant legal issues” impeding the case.
Whatever that means. I mean, if you can’t nail a guy caught red-handed with coke while driving drunk and speeding, then there’s not much point to the legal system, is there?
But as for blaming the judge, or accusing him of being a Tory, which is exactly what journalist David Akin does, it seems a little misguided. Since the coke and drunk driving charges were tossed out, the charge was reduced to “careless driving”. Not exactly your crime of the century here.
When put in context of driving drunk with cocaine in the car and speeding, it sounds bad. But Judge Doug Maund was forced to look at the facts before him, not the cocaine or the alcohol, and certainly not Helena Guergis’s airport meltdown in Prince Edward Island, which I’m sure is contributing to some of the public backlash in the ruling. And the facts were that this was a first-time offender with a record of public service and no criminal background.
As for Rahim Jaffer, he only addressed the careless driving conviction outside of the court.
“I should have been more careful. I’m sorry. I know this is a serious matter,” he said. “Once again I apologize for that and I take full responsibility for my careless driving.”
It would have been better if he hadn’t spoken at all. Nobody really cares that he was caught speeding. We’ve all been there. No, the press was there to get an apology for taking cocaine and driving drunk. But since he got those charges tossed, the best thing to say would have been “no comment”. Saying “I should have been more careful” almost implies he should have taken the back roads during his drunk coked up joy ride.
The Liberal Party, fully trying to make the poor choices of Mr.Jaffer’s private life a public embarrassment to the Conservative Party, saw fit that Winnipeg MP Anita Neville, rather inappropriately, got up in the House of Commons today and said the following:
“Mr. Speaker, members of the government are always quick to comment on any court judgment that does not align with their ‘get tough on crime’ rhetoric. They always say, ‘You do the crime, you do the time’. What then is the government’s comment on a dangerous driver, in possession of illicit drugs who gets off with no record and a $500 slap on the wrist?”
Naturally, the floor went into an uproar as the Conservatives called shame on the Liberal Member. After quite some time, the Speaker, Peter Milliken, restored order. Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson, responding to the charge, seemed genuinely surprised by the smear. He began to answer, but the murmurs continued to drown him out.
“I almost do not know where to begin to comment on such an irresponsible question, Mr. Speaker. The government initiated the Director of Public Prosecutions for the very reason to make sure there would never be any political interference of any prosecution in this country. That should have the support of the hon. member, and she should get up, withdraw and apologize for that comment.”
Anita Neville was given a choice to apologize, though I don’t think anyone expected she would, as the House of Commons continued to rumble with the sounds of backbenchers yelling at one another from across the great hall.
“Mr. Speaker, what a hypocritical answer this minister gives. The government tries to pass the buck and the Conservatives are conspicuously silent, only when the law is being flouted by one of their own. Even the judge thought this was a ‘break’. Why the double standard? Nothing stopped them from commenting before. Does the government really believe that the punishment fits the crime?”
The return jab, being more predictable this time, elicited a lesser response of outrage. With the Minister of Justice being more composed, he returned the volley and repeated his demand for an apology from the Winnipeg Member for Parliament.
“Mr. Speaker, that is about as low as one can go, in my opinion. This hon. member is talking about a provincial prosecution in front of a provincial judge within the appeal period, and she is asking us to comment. That is completely irresponsible and she should apologize to this House.”
In the hours succeeding this answer, some people have inferred that Mr.Nicholson was taking a shot at the Liberal McGuinty government by pointing out, quite correctly, that the Jaffer case was a provincial matter before the Ontario courts.
Whatever the case, it is amazing how much animus has been drawn from all sides over the actions of a private individual no longer working with the federal Conservative government. And while we may all find his lenient sentencing distasteful, it is even more unbecoming that the Liberal Party tried to use this issue to smear the Conservative government in Question Period today.
The LPC should get down on its knees and pray and pray hard that no Liberal (or apparently now, even an ex-Liberal) gets caught being naughty. Of course the CBC/Globe/Liberal Talking Points machine, will try to cover as best it can, but all the talk about hypocrisy may rise to bite someone on the posterior.
I want to qualify this comment by saying I am disgusted by any one that drinks and drives etc but the onus is on the Crown to prove the alleged charges.
If they can’t and didn’t, then Jaffer is innocent of them.
Speculating and wanting him to be the biggest louse on the planet, doesn’t make him convicted. To think that the Judge was soft on him is pathetically naive. The work is done before the Judge ever sees the case and in fact more often than not, the Defence is breathing hard and praying to get certain Judges for their clients court date.
These people making unjustified comments and tossing around allegations like loose Frisbees had better be careful with their big mouths in public.
Well Bec, unfortunately there are two courts in life, and one is the court of public opinion. For instance, the BC Liberals have managed to escape much of the fallout from corruption charges being waged against 3 former public servants, but in the court of public opinion, a lot of people think the Premier should be right in that court with them.
I’m just saying Adrian that if the authorities found the cocaine and he blew over the legal limit and all of their ‘i’s’ were dotted and ‘t’s’ crossed, Jaffer would be convicted today.
He is either innocent or someone screwed up, it can’t be both and further, it has nothing to do with who the Judge ended up being. (well other than the fine amount I suppose)
The decision was made between the Crown and Defense before he faced the Judge.
That’s just how it works and for the innuendos to be getting tossed around by Opposition scandal seekers, I am simply suggesting, they should be cautious who they openly slander.
Great piece, Adrian. It’s nice to read a balanced comment on l’affaire Jaffer.
Isn’t it amazing that the Liberals have all the compassion in the world for someone like Omar Khadr, sho is accused of trying to kill an American medic, but when it comes to a former Conservative MP, nothing less than public execution will do.
Bec,
You’re right. It seems clear that somebody screwed up in processing Mr.Jaffer.
Jad,
I’ll admit to being less than proficient when it comes to sifting through liberal doublethink.
Adrian! I’m shocked!
You’ve segued from an article on a former Conservative MP’s drunk/cocaine driving charge to an unwarranted attack on Premier Gordon Campbell!
There,that’s my allotment of exclamation marks for this year.
On the bright side, the cocaine will usually override the effects of alcohol and,unless he was dead drunk (.25%) improve his capabilities. On the down side, the coke would make him feel invincible and thus prone to speeding and stunt driving.
What disturbs me about the machinations of the LPC since Harper took over government, is they ARE trying the Conservatives in the Court of P.O.,and that’s about all they’re doing. They make up stories of public outrage over various issues, and hope one will resonate with the public enough we’ll demand an election.
This is “gotcha” politics at its worst,and while all Parties do it, this seems to be the ONLY tactic the Liberals have in their playbook.
I’m rather insulted that any political schemer thinks we Canadians are so stupid we’d vote a government out due to a peripheral scandal, but that seems to be the mindset of the strategists of the LPC.
How about, for a change of pace,the LPC provides us with a clear platform,and spells out exactly what they would do better than the current government, and how they would do it,rather than vague generalities.
And last, present us with a Leader who is THAT, a Leader, think Trudeau,Pearson,Mac,Uncle Louis, instead of the “out to lunch bunch” from the hallowed halls of Harvard and McGill.
The LPC wants to convince us we have a “crisis” and THEY have the only solution, much like Al Gore and the Climate change gang,but the public is suffering “catastrophe fatigue”, and every earth shaking Liberal pronouncement sounds,to us peasants, like just more noise.
On the bright side, the cocaine will usually override the effects of alcohol and improve his capabilities.
lol. Like Tony Montana taking 100 bullets over the water fountain.
I don’t mean to be mean and crude but she looks like someone dug her up from the grave, well she does.
Read this thread at CBC and look at what CBC is allowing through moderation, some of the most slanderous posts I’ve read on the net ever. It’s high time the Conservative Party launched a libel suit against CBC for allowing anonymous people to smear law abiding citizens for sport. I’m absolutely farking pissed off at how CBC went from biased to having not a modicum of integrity, morals or ethics these days. Fair comment does not include allowing people to accuse Harper of being responsible for provincial juristriction over motor vehicle laws, I’m gobbed smacked that so many hatefilled slanderous posts are getting through CBC.
CBC thread here: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/03/09/jaffer-case.html#socialcomments
First the proroguing to protect the tribe’s requests in Afghanistan and now this. How the hell are we going to win a majority with this shyte going on?
I was always impressed with Rahim, whenever he was a spokesman for the Party on one of the talk shows. I thought he was funny, personable, and was good at lightening up the debates.
He also seemed good at the job Harper gave him, as chairman of the caucus. I just hope that Harper can find a way to eventually bring him back onto the Conservative team. Of course, Rahim will have to pull up his socks and do a lot of work and soul-searching, and the like. The prodigal son returning is a good end to this story.
He’s a former MP.
Remember he lost his seat in Alberta.
Alberta.
The party is stronger now that they can search for a good candidate.
One down…
For some reason this reminds me of former Ontario AG Michael Bryant. Should be interesting to see how that all turns out as well.
Mmmmm. I see I wasn’t the only one.
I still get a kick out of the irony for Joe Comartin ranting about this contempt for Justice because Jaffey is a Politician.
May I remind people one more time that Light-Finger’s Svend Robinson was actually caught on a Video stealing a $60′000.00 item because he “Snapped” from all the stress of Homophobia in canada.This Convicted felon not only milked the MSM with mock-tears as Libby Davies coddled and carressed this shallow man,but Svend only got Probation which no Black teen would have ever gotten for the same conviction.
Then, Jack Layton embraced Svend to run again for the NDP in B.C. as if convicted criminals were to be emulated.
The NDP also keeps defending the Khadr’s and Omar Khadr because Omar is “Innocent until proven Guily” in a Court,plus Maher Arar never Proved he was Tortured or showed up at the Inquiry named after him to produce the Proof.
Amazing,the Liberals and NDP go easy on Robinson even when a Video nailed him as guilty whether he stole Jewelery worth $60′000.00 or $60′000.00 in actual money.
Where were these MP’s when Svend only got Probation and Community service,what about him being allowed to run in a Federal Election as a convicted thief as well?
Just watch for the NDP to take in Omar Khadr to run for them in a Pro-Shariah law riding in Mississauga which the Liberals have won several times.
Bec is correct. I spoke to a lawyer today who told me it was obvious to her that the police screwed up and the arrest and search were unlawful. You can’t convict when the evidence is thrown out due to a bad search.
However, the Liberals are not saying Jaffer got special treatment. They are merely pointing out that usually this government would be screaming about “technicalities” and “soft” sentences, and yet today they are silent about that.
But for the Charter, Jaffer might have a criminal record and possibly be in jail right now.
Personally I take no issue with the deal or the sentence. I am amused at the outrage from conservatives though. You can’t tell me that if it was a former liberal MP, you lot would not be complaining about what happened in court today. I bet we would hear all abpout liberal judges too…
All i am going to say is, 10 years ago I was in a very similar situation(No Coke). I do not have a spot on my record and I defended myself.
A very close friend of mine went through this exact situation a few years back, and beat the case, true story. So frankly I do not find this at all surprising.
The system is a joke.
“Opposition agrees with Conservative Government; Courts Still Soft On Crime”
Gayle:
Do you recall the uproar that the Conservatives raised about Svend Robinson?
Neither do I.
The Conservatives have made a deal of some cases where criminals have gotten off with next to nothing in penalties. But I don’t think they have or would do the same for former Liberal/NDP MPs. But I could be wrong.
Eric.
That is cute, but it actually avoids the point.
Do you remember the Reformers and then the Conservatives railing about soft on crime, and liberal judges?
So do I.