Jaffer says he brings experience, not ‘baggage,’ to mayoral campaign

Former MP Rahim Jaffer speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about his bid to be the next mayor of Edmonton.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: Why seek a political comeback? What’s motivating this drive to get into municipal politics?

Rahim Jaffer: I was back in the community the last almost 15 years, running a business, raising my son, involved on different boards of schools and doing things that most families do. I was excited to be able to participate in that. But over the course of the last decade in particular, I’ve seen a slow decline of where I remember Edmonton to be, and what I was so proud of in the city when I was fortunate enough to represent it federally.

The challenges that I face, not only as a parent, but day-to-day as someone who’s trying to add to the economy, hire people, support what’s happening in this province, I felt that the leadership in our city hall just doesn’t have that rounded experience when it comes to cultivating and supporting business and creating the environment that I remembered so fondly when I was growing up.

How industry fuelled the public service, how community was so paramount, and how things were safe. Those are the kind of things that really said, rather than complaining, because that’s what I was doing, maybe I need to get involved.

MH: What would be the change that you would bring to city council? How different an approach would you bring compared to the current look of Edmonton City Council?

MH: What would be the change that you would bring to city council? How different an approach would you bring compared to the current look of Edmonton City Council?

RJ: When I was leaving federal politics, things were becoming very acrimonious. There was not that type of relationship where, just because you belonged with another party, doesn’t mean they have the best ideas.

There was some cultivation of working together. There was an effort to get to know each other. We would fight it out in committees, or in the floor of the house, but then, without fail, there were a few NDP, Liberals and Conservatives all meeting up at the local bar, having a few drinks and getting on each other’s nerves, but finding a common solution.

I find that at city hall, that’s really missing, that it’s become more acrimonious. There’s ideas that could be easily supported by different councillors and the mayor, and yet they are not able to coordinate.

MH: You’re approaching this as an independent, you’re not aligning yourself with any of the new municipal political parties.

RJ: Filling a pothole, fixing some of the challenges, dealing with the garbage issues. It doesn’t matter what jersey you wear politically, it’s who can get the job done.

MH: You’re the sixth person to enter this race. How do you fit into that picture, minus the municipal political experience?

RJ: I know that my political experience might not be local, but being involved in a business, being involved with a family in Edmonton as I mentioned, dealing with a lot of the challenges a lot of Edmontonians face, I’m hearing more and more that despite not having that municipal representation experience, that people want something new. They want something fresh. They want new ideas that can be brought from a new perspective.

Some of these councillors, my hat’s off to them, they served, they did the best job they can, but it seems to me that some of the problems that we’re facing today are a direct result of some of the decisions that were made, and now they’re asking for a promotion.

People I’m hearing from at my restaurant, or on the streets, they’re frustrated. They want something new, and they want someone bold who will bring some ideas.

MH: It sounds like you’re already knocking on doors, so you may encounter voters who bring up the controversies of the past. The time your executive assistant impersonated you on a Vancouver radio station for an interview, the impaired driving possession charges that were downgraded to careless driving. How do you respond to that? To instill confidence in your candidacy now?

RJ: Own up to these things. I was young when I was elected back in 1997, 25 years old, and thrust with a lot of responsibility. I think winning four elections demonstrated that I obviously did a decent job as being an MP, but obviously like anyone, made mistakes.

When you move forward from those mistakes, it’s how we’re learning from them. How have we adjusted? For me, what kind of role model am I to my son? That’s something that is on my mind every day.

I’ve got nothing to hide. Everything’s already out there. So people, I think when they talk to me, they see somebody who’s lived real experience, not really somebody who’s tried to hide anything and come from rock bottom.

I was so fortunate to serve the way I did. I was able to work on incredible projects, work with Canadians across the country, represent this riding, but also, I failed the other way. Went downwards, had to build up again, and that sort of strength and resilience, I find, is being respected.

People in their lives have all gone through stumbles or challenges, so maybe that’s something they can relate to. I think it’s long enough ago that people don’t really hold that as something that’s over their head. Some may – and they do have other options, that’s the beauty of democracy – but I think most people that I’m hearing from are excited that I’m bringing a different perspective and a lot of experience.

Some might say baggage, but I think most people say that’s experience.