Snowdy Watch: PI launches new allegations against former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer

Snowdy claims that, before heading off to China, Jaffer and then-associate Nazim Gillani had invited private firms to "sponsor" the trip -- which the pair purportedly "touted as a diplomatic opportunity" -- in exchange for "privileged opportunities" that would result. He also states that, while in China, Jaffer "was hosted and socialized by Chen's associates representing state owned technology companies," and alleges that Guergis "used her office" to help Jaffer get the necessary visa for the China trip, although he admits that he "doesn't know" if he travelled on the green diplomatic passport provided to parliamentary spouses. 

After returning to Canada, the statement continues, Jaffer used "the email account provided to him by Guergis to make inquiries into government policies about military defence contractor MacDonald, Dettweiler and Associates to the office of Minister of Industry Tony Clement," as well as "technical information" related to "the national security role" played by MDA-operated radar satellite RADARSAT-2.

So, what to make of the latest twist in the tale?  
 
To begin with, the email exchange between Jaffer and David Pierce -- who was, at the time, director of parliamentary affairs for then-Industry Minister Tony Clement --  first came to light shortly after Guergis' expulsion from cabinet, when Clement's office alerted both Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson and Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd to the matter. 

Read the full correspondence, including the emails, courtesy of Democracy Watch:
Pierce Jaffer Docs


Ultimately, neither commissioner found sufficient concern to pursue the matter further.

Dawson referred the matter to the speaker, as it involved the use of parliamentary resources (specifically, the email account used by Jaffer was "assigned" to Guergis, and, as such, falls under the purview of the Board of Internal Economy).

Meanwhile, in her final report on the Jaffer investigation, Shepherd concluded that the communication in question was exempt from reporting requirements, as it was simply a request for information, which was made "as a personal favour on behalf of an acquaintance."

More interestingly, there is no indication that the specific nature of Jaffer's queries raised any red flags  -- not, it seems, with the staffers who brought the issue to the attention of the commissioners, with the commissioners themselves, or, indeed, by anyone else, at least judging from subsequent media reports on the matter.

During his second appearance before the government operations committee, Jaffer confirmed that less than a month before getting in touch with Pierce, he had indeed travelled to China -- although not, he said, under the green diplomatic passport, about which he was asked specifically, as the question had arisen as a result of media reports. 

Jaffer told the committee that he was accompanied by then-potential business associate Hai Chen, the "extent" of the work that he did there was "to try to see new opportunities for one particular technology that I was working with" -- specifically, "if the Chinese government, through our contact of Dr. Chen, would be interested in developing this green technology there."  He did, however, acknowledge that he "wasn't privy" to any discussions that may have occurred between Chen and Gillani.