Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Does Jaffer's Punishment Fit His Crime?
I would like to ask a new poll question, do you think that the $500 fine with no jail time handed to Rahim Jaffer for careless driving and cocaine possession was adequate? The perpetrator has no criminal and is a public figure, a former member of Parliament and his spouse is a current cabinet minister. Personally I do not believe that prison time is warranted in this case, though I would certainly expect community service to be part of the package. If it was not included in the penalty, Mr. Jaffer should volunteer community service on this sensitive issue.
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As there was regarded as little chance of conviction, that throws into contention the whole idea of guilt. He got a $500 fine and made a $500 donation to a charity, was publicly embarrassed, brought heat on his wife and in general burnt a bunch of bridges in his life. I say he's paid his bit, seeing as how he's certainly done his share for the country, at least a whole lot more than me.
ReplyDeleteim sure you would have a vastly different opinion if this was an ex-Liberal MP...
ReplyDeleteLOL.
ReplyDelete"I do not believe that prison time is warranted?"
"He's paid his bit?"
Is this really the blogging tories? You guys are such hypocrites.
Let's be clear, there was no conviction for cocaine possession. The $500 fine is nothing compared to the public humiliation. Some may think he got off lightly but given the media attention, far more attention than any of us mere mortals would receive, he has been punished.
ReplyDeleteActually Anonymous 1 and 2, I've been very consistent on these issues. I am against the large scale distributors, not the end users. I am not a social conservative and I have even advocated the decriminalization of marijuana on my website. Your challenge of hypocrisy is not accurate in this instance.
ReplyDeleteIt should be noted again that Jaffer's sentence was only for careless driving. The cocaine posession and drunk driving charges were dropped by the crown. A $500 for carless driving is, as far as I know, actually more than is typical. I agree that, especially because of his position of influence, community service would have been an appropriate penalty. I think him and his wife have more than paid for this ordeal.
ReplyDeleteWhere there is smoke there is fire.
ReplyDeleteAnd in politics that's all that matters.
And, out-campaigned for his seat in the last election.
Sorry, but we don't need him.
You're partially right about what I would think if it was an Ex-Liberal MP. Some of them have escaped serious jail time for huge amounts of money that were stolen by them or their close associates. If it were some of these guys that slipped through the jaws of the trap. You're darn right I'd be wound up.
ReplyDeleteTo imply that I'm lying by what I said about this case is one of those things that is best done as an anonymous poster. Where I come from, calling a man a liar can get very serious in a hurry.
Actually I have a better question: how would the Jaffer case have been different if the Conservative law-and-order legislation now before the House were in placde?
ReplyDeleteWhat Helena Guegis and Rahim Jaffer shows us is that we need mandatory drug testing for MPs.
ReplyDelete@Patsplace "Some of them have escaped serious jail time for huge amounts of money that were stolen by them or their close associates."
Ok,fine name "them".
A Liberal proposing mandatory drug testing for MPs? That's rich! I would feel much more comfortable if we had John McCallum piss into a cup before Question Period each day.
ReplyDeleteLOL to Iceman
ReplyDeleteJohn McCallum is one of the funniest clowns ever.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the drunken air rage incident?
What kind of car do you drive John?
Who the fuck doesn't know what kind of car they drive?
Even if you don't drive it every day and only visit it on weekends.
A...a...a...North American car...a Chevrolet.
He's like the drunken Cheney of the Liberal party.
And then there's Ralph Goodale.
A man who would be outraged at anything.
If he was told to be outraged at it that is.
'Mr. Goodale, a kid bought some candy this morning at a 7-11.'
"Why that's just outrageous! With diabetes rates at an all time high and this government chooses to do nothing about it."
If I said they were knobs would I be stepping over the line?
I would be embarrassed if they were conservatives.
They have spent so much time with the Liberal party that they can't switch.
The thing about both of these guys is consistent with Liberal philosophy.
I think they think that there is no problem that government can't fix.
And I think that there are problems government shouldn't fix.
At least not until we can afford to.