Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Today in the tabloids

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, November 11, 2010 1:33pm - 15 Comments

Is the Defence Minister preparing to leave politics? Who knows. More important, who is that pretty lady he escorted to the ball last night?

But what really piqued interest Wednesday evening was MacKay’s date, former Miss Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam.

A self-described singer-songwriter and actress, the Iranian-born Afshin-Jam was the runner-up at the Miss World beauty competition in 2003. She released a debut pop-world beat album called Someday in 2007 … Afshin-Jam and her family fled Tehran for Canada in 1980, in the midst of the Iranian revolution, after her father was tortured. The president and co-founder of the human rights group Stop Child Executions, Afshin-Jam describes herself as a human rights activist and has travelled to Ethiopia to bring awareness to issues affecting young women …

A former Royal Canadian Air Cadet, she got her pilot’s licence when she was 17, speaks four languages, has a degree from the University of British Columbia and has worked for the Red Cross.

The Star provides the requisite photo gallery.

Tags: , ,

Bookmark and Share
  • Emily

    The only 'news' here is that Mackay is 'dating' an Iranian woman right after being in talks with men who want to bomb Iran.

    But as to Mackay personally, he's been engaged several times, and had a multitude of 'relationships', but at 45 remains unmarried.

    His whole life can be summed up as 'Almost'.

    'Almost' a leader.

    'Almost' a PM

    'Almost' married.

    A publicity stunt.

    • LdKitchenersOwn

      The only 'news' here is that Mackay is 'dating' an Iranian woman right after being in talks with men who want to bomb Iran.

      Just for the record, there are plenty of Iranian women who'd like us to bomb Iran. Hell, there are plenty of Iranian women who'd help us deliver the bomb.

    • Cats

      Quick note to other readers:

      Emils is a little bitter about Peter MacKay ending the PC party.

      I guess he didn't ALMOST do that. HE DID merge the parties didn't he ?

      Bittermuch Cats.

  • Mike T.

    I hope he gets out before we're forced to endure him crying into a potato patch on camera again.

    • A_logician

      Why do you hate the neighbour's dog?

      • bennji1977

        It is a Bernese Mountain Dog – the breed originated from Switzerland.

        The Swiss have a neutrality policy, it makes them anti-semitic.

  • DBM

    Clearly MacLeans is above such things.

  • Anon 001

    This is not going to endear Peter M. to the base at all.

    • Krillin Namek

      And why is that exactly? Wait, let me answer: Because conservatives and Conservatives are knuckle-draggers in your world. I'm part of that base and I don't see a problem with it. The left in this country are boring me, ad hominem attacks <yawn>.

  • burlivespipe

    Wow. My high opinion of Ms. Afshin-Jam just dropped a couple of notches. Here's hoping it's all just some weird research project to see if any Harper minister still has their own soul.

    • sourstud

      Why exactly did you're opinion of Afshin-Jam just drop a couple of notches? Could it be because she single-handedly shattered all of you're previously devised sexist and racist stereotypes of what you believe an Iranian woman's politics should be?

      One thing so many Canadians need to understand, is that most immigrants and visible minorities are sick and tired of being treated as some kind of victims by the "progressive" PC crowd.

      • LdKitchenersOwn

        I couldn't just be that burlivespipe thinks that dating Peter MacKay is a stupid thing to do???

        'Cause I think that for many people, their opinion of ANY woman would drop immediately upon learning that said woman was socializing with Peter MacKay.

  • Reverend_Blair

    MacKay might as well go. It's apparent that his boss doesn't value his opinion, as evidenced by MacKay being kept out of the loop on policy related to his own portfolio. He should step away from Harper and the Conservatives.

  • tobyornotoby

    To be fair Harper is treating him like all the other Ministers.

  • Reverend_Blair

    Yeah…they should all quit.

Previous

Next

From Macleans