Mobina Jaffer
Encyclopedia
Mobina S. B. Jaffer, QC
(born August 20, 1949 in Kampala
, Uganda
) is a Canadian Senator
representing British Columbia
. She is the first South Asia
n and the first Muslim
woman appointed to the Upper House
.
Born to an East India
n family living in Africa
, Jaffer was educated in England
and Canada
. She earned a law degree from the University of London
in 1972 and attended the Executive Development program at Simon Fraser University
. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 2002, she was appointed the Special Envoy to the Peace Process in Sudan
by the Government of Canada
. The same year, she was Chair of the Canadian Committee on Women Peace & Security.
Jaffer has served as a Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Canada
from 1994 to 1998 and as President of the National Women's Liberal Commission from 1998 to 2003. She also served on the board of the Liberal International
in 1996. Jaffer ran unsuccessfully in the 1993 general election
as the Liberal candidate in North Vancouver, and again in the 1997 election
as the party's candidate in Burnaby--Douglas.
Jaffer has practised law in British Columbia since 1978. She was appointed Queen's Counsel
in 1998. Since 1997, Jaffer has been vice-chair of the Canadian membership committee for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America
and, since 1993, a member of the board of governors of the Trial Lawyers of British Columbia. She has also been active with the Immigrant and Refugee Board.
She was appointed to the Canadian Senate on June 13, 2001, on the advice of Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
. She sits as a Liberal.
The Vancouver Sun reported on January 22, 2008 that the B.C. Law Society was investigating allegations of overbilling by Jaffer and her son for allegedly charging a Catholic missionary order, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, fees of $6.7 million for work they did between 2000 and 2004 defending the Oblates against abuse claims made by former residents of the Canadian Indian residential school system. Allegations included evidence that Ms. Jaffer's son had billed 32.4 hours of work in a single day. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/01/21/jaffer-investigation.html. In 2009 the Law Society of British Columbia's Discipline Subcommittee ordered Jaffer and her son to appear before separate conduct review subcommittee panels. At its regular meeting in March 2010 the Discipline Subcommittee agreed with the recommendations of those panels that no further action should be taken. http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/media/news/10-04-27_jaffer.html
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born August 20, 1949 in Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
) is a Canadian Senator
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
representing British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. She is the first South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n and the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
woman appointed to the Upper House
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
.
Born to an East India
East India
East India is a region of India consisting of the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The states of Orissa and West Bengal share some cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh and with the state of Assam. Together with Bangladesh, West Bengal formed the...
n family living in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Jaffer was educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She earned a law degree from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1972 and attended the Executive Development program at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 2002, she was appointed the Special Envoy to the Peace Process in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. The same year, she was Chair of the Canadian Committee on Women Peace & Security.
Jaffer has served as a Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
from 1994 to 1998 and as President of the National Women's Liberal Commission from 1998 to 2003. She also served on the board of the Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
in 1996. Jaffer ran unsuccessfully in the 1993 general election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
as the Liberal candidate in North Vancouver, and again in the 1997 election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
as the party's candidate in Burnaby--Douglas.
Jaffer has practised law in British Columbia since 1978. She was appointed Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1998. Since 1997, Jaffer has been vice-chair of the Canadian membership committee for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
The American Association for Justice , formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America is the leading organization for lawyers representing plaintiffs in the United States...
and, since 1993, a member of the board of governors of the Trial Lawyers of British Columbia. She has also been active with the Immigrant and Refugee Board.
She was appointed to the Canadian Senate on June 13, 2001, on the advice of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
. She sits as a Liberal.
The Vancouver Sun reported on January 22, 2008 that the B.C. Law Society was investigating allegations of overbilling by Jaffer and her son for allegedly charging a Catholic missionary order, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, fees of $6.7 million for work they did between 2000 and 2004 defending the Oblates against abuse claims made by former residents of the Canadian Indian residential school system. Allegations included evidence that Ms. Jaffer's son had billed 32.4 hours of work in a single day. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/01/21/jaffer-investigation.html. In 2009 the Law Society of British Columbia's Discipline Subcommittee ordered Jaffer and her son to appear before separate conduct review subcommittee panels. At its regular meeting in March 2010 the Discipline Subcommittee agreed with the recommendations of those panels that no further action should be taken. http://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/media/news/10-04-27_jaffer.html