Province needs to clear the air over Raffer plea bargain

March 16, 2010 Brantford Expositor

The provincial government needs to clear the air with respect to the deal that allowed a former MP to plead guilty to careless driving and have drug possession and impaired driving charges withdrawn, says the head of a local anti-drinking and driving committee.

"Whether there was political interference or not isn't really the question," Lawrie Palk, chair of the Brant/Brantford Drinking and Driving Countermeasures Committee, said. "The thing is, it appears there may have been some sort of interference and I think the provincial government needs to clear the air.

"I think people need to understand what happened. An explanation about what happened would be educational for everyone."

Rahim Jaffer, 38, was charged last September with impaired driving and possession of a controlled substance after being pulled over by Caledon OPP. He had been seen travelling 93 km/h in a 50 km/h zone prior to being pulled over by the OPP and failed a roadside breathalyser test.

However, when the charges came to court earlier this month, Jaffer pleaded guilty to a less charge of careless driving and the charges of impaired driving and drug possession were withdrawn under a plea bargain struck by the crown attorney's office and Jaffer's attorney.

Jaffer was fined $500 and made a $500 donation to the Cystic Fibrosis.

The deal prompted a lot of controversy and discussion because Jaffer is a former MP and is married to Helena Guergis, Minister of State for the Status of Women.

The plea bargain and the withdrawal of the more serious charges has led to suggestions of favouritism and sparked a lot of public debate.

Palk has been reading about the case and listening to the debate and thinks the public needs to hear from the provincial government.

"I think from our committee's perspective we'd like to hear from the provincial government. We like to hear the reasons for the plea bargain," Palk said. "There's an awful lot the public doesn't know and it doesn't bode well for the justice system or our politicians if people think there was even the possibility of political interference."