Rahim Jaffer, the former Edmonton MP and National Caucus Chair for the Conservative Party, faces impaired driving and drug charges after an incident early last Friday.

Jaffer was elected as a Reform MP in 1997, in the riding of Edmonton-Strathcona. He lost his seat in the last federal election to NDP MP Linda Duncan. Jaffer is married to Helena Guergis, the Minister of State for the Status of Women.

The Ontario Provincial Police in Caledon, Ontario confirmed the news today in a release, excerpted below:

On Friday September 11, 2009 at 12:45am a Caledon OPP officer on general patrol on Regional Road 50 observed a grey Ford Escape travelling northbound at a high rate of speed through the village of Palgrave.

The officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and after detecting the odour of alcohol on the drivers breath an investigation was conducted.

Thirty-seven year old Rahim JAFFER of Angus was charged with Drive Motor Vehicle Over 80 milligrams of alcohol contrary to section 253(1)(b) Criminal Code of Canada and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) contrary to section 4(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

JAFFER will be making his first appearance in Orangeville Criminal Court on October 19, 2009. His licence was suspended for a period of 90 days under the Administrative Drivers Licence Suspension (ADLS) program.