Rahim Jaffer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rahim Jaffer رحيم جعفر |
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Member of Parliament
for Edmonton—Strathcona |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1997 Federal Election |
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| Preceded by | Hugh Hanrahan |
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| Born | December 15, 1971  Kampala, Uganda |
| Political party | Conservative (2003-present) Canadian Alliance (2000-2003) Reform (1997-2000) |
| Spouse | Engaged to Helena Guergis |
| Residence | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Profession | Businessman, entrepreneur |
| Religion | Ismaili |
Rahim Jaffer (Urdu: رحيم جعفر) (born December 15, 1971) is a Canadian politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997, and currently represents the Alberta riding of Edmonton—Strathcona as a member of the Conservative party.
Jaffer was born in Kampala, Uganda. As a young child, Rahim and his family came to Canada to escape persecution in Uganda. The government of Idi Amin confiscated their business and their home and sent them as penniless refugees to a new country.
Jaffer completed his Bachelor of Social Sciences degree at the University of Ottawa in Political Science and Economics. He took his degree in French and also served as a legislative assistant in the House of Commons. After completing his degree, Jaffer returned to Edmonton where he operated a successful coffee shop in the heart of Old Strathcona.
Rahim was elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Strathcona on June 2nd, 1997 at the age of 25. He originally won his seat as a member of the Reform Party of Canada (later the Canadian Alliance and then merged with the Progressive Conservatives to form the Conservative Party). Jaffer is a Muslim of the Ismaili faith, and was the only Muslim member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2000 to 2004.[citation needed] He graduated from the University of Ottawa. Jaffer speaks fluent English and French.
In 2001, Matthew Johnston, an aide to Jaffer, impersonated him during a radio interview. Jaffer subsequently apologized in the House of Commons.
Jaffer supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq,[1] arguing that Iraqis longed to live in freedom and rid themselves of Saddam Hussein. In making this argument, he drew attention to the fact that his own family endured oppression under Idi Amin.
On January 23, 2006, Jaffer was re-elected to serve a fourth term as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Strathcona. On February 8, 2006, he was named chair of the Conservative caucus by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
He is engaged to fellow Conservative MP Helena Guergis.[2]
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[edit] Electoral record
| Canadian federal election, 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Conservative | Rahim Jaffer | 22,009 | 41.7% | |||
| New Democratic Party | Linda Duncan | 17,153 | 32.5% | |||
| Liberal | Andy Hladyshevsky | 9,391 | 17.8% | |||
| Green | Cameron Wakefield | 3,139 | 5.9% | |||
| Progressive Canadian Party | Michael Fedeyko | 582 | 1.1% | |||
| Marijuana | Dave Dowling | 390 | 0.7% | |||
| Marxist-Leninist | Kevan Hunter | 106 | 0.2% | |||
| Total valid votes | 52,770 | 99.72% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 148 | 0.28% | ||||
| Turnout | 52,918 | 70.6% | ||||
| Canadian federal election, 2004 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Conservative | Rahim Jaffer | 19,089 | 39.40% | $67,449 | ||
| Liberal | Debby Carlson | 14,057 | 29.01% | $67,910 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Malcolm Azania | 11,535 | 23.80% | $46,100 | ||
| Green | Cameron Wakefield | 3,146 | 6.49% | $2,353 | ||
| Marijuana | Dave Dowling | 519 | 1.07% | |||
| Marxist-Leninist | Kevan Hunter | 103 | 0.21% | $26 | ||
| Total valid votes | 48,449 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 150 | 0.31% | ||||
| Turnout | 48,599 | 65.66% | ||||
| Canadian federal election, 2000 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Canadian Alliance | Rahim Jaffer | 23,463 | 42.00% | $57,365 | ||
| Liberal | Jonathan Dai | 17,816 | 31.89% | $48,430 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Hélène Narayana | 8,256 | 14.78% | $25,883 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Gregory Toogood | 5,047 | 9.03% | $4,252 | ||
| Marijuana | Ken Kirk | 814 | 1.45% | $149 | ||
| Canadian Action | Kesa Rose Semenchuk | 299 | 0.53% | $1,485 | ||
| Marxist-Leninist | Kevan Hunter | 164 | 0.29% | $275 | ||
| Total valid votes | 48,449 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 150 | 0.31% | ||||
| Turnout | 48,599 | 65.66% | ||||
| Canadian federal election, 1997 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Reform | Rahim Jaffer | 20,605 | 41.30% | $58,003 | ||
| Liberal | Ginette Rodger | 17,654 | 35.38% | $58,244 | ||
| New Democratic Party | Jean McBean | 7,251 | 14.53% | $42,936 | ||
| Progressive Conservative | Edo Nyland | 3,614 | 7.24% | $10,183 | ||
| Green | Karina Gregory | 406 | 0.81% | $520 | ||
| Natural Law | Maury Shapka | 153 | 0.30% | |||
| No affiliation | Naomi Rankin | 115 | 0.23% | $1,732 | ||
| Canadian Action | J. Alex Ford | 92 | 0.18% | $845 | ||
| Total valid votes | 49,890 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 101 | 0.20% | ||||
| Turnout | 49,991 | 62.74% | ||||
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- rahimjaffer.com
- Political Biography from the Library of Parliament
- cbc.ca, "Jaffer to apologize to House of Commons." Accessed May 1, 2007
[edit] Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Andy Savoy |
Chair, Government Caucus in the Parliament of Canada 2006-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Norman Doyle |
Chair, Conservative Caucus in the Parliament of Canada 2006-present |
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| Parliament of Canada | ||
| Preceded by Hugh Hanrahan |
Member of Parliament Edmonton—Strathcona 1997-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
