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AN OFFER
HE LIKELY
WON’T REFUSE
BY WILL HEGOUGH
WILL PETER MACKAY EVENTUALLY FLEE PUBLIC LIFE TO JOIN GOWLINGS LAFLEUR
HENDERSON LLP, CANADA’S LARGEST LAW FIRM?
A source close to the talks says it appears that Peter seems very receptive to the firm’s
advances. You certainly can’t blame Petey for wanting to escape life under Stephen Harper’s
boot heel for a luxurious private sector life at Gowlings.
For starters, I’m advised that the firm is offering the lowly N.S. Crown attorney-turned Defence
Minister a starting salary in the neighbourhood of $500,000, not to mention a six-figure bonus just
for signing on the dotted line. As far as perks, Gowlings maintains its own private jet, a suite at the
Waldorf Astoria in the heart of Manhattan, and well-appointed condos in cities around the
world.
While mainstream media reports have Peter considering a post at the firm’s Toronto
office, my source maintains that Peter would inhabit a corner office at Place Ville
Marie in Montreal, where the firm boasts over 100,000 sq. ft. of office space, not to
mention a superb executive dining room. (To Alan Parish, QC, at Burchells LLP:
Your sandwiches are wonderful, however kindly see what you can do about a more
sophisticated in-house dining experience. I sense I’ll be spending more time in your
office from now on — ed.)
Hockey fan Pete would also no doubt take full advantage of the firm’s corporate box at the Bell
Centre, cheering on the Habs with a Molson in one hand and a shrimp cocktail in the other.
8 ATLANTIC CANADA FRANK DECEMBER 7, 2010
High-flying Peter?
BETTER LATE
THAN NEVER NEWS
THERE WAS MUCH OOHING AND AHHING IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA EARLIER
THIS MONTH WHEN THE TORONTO STAR RAN A PHOTO OF PETER MACKAY
AND HIS NEW GALPAL, ACCOMPANIED BY AN ASTOUNDINGLY DENSE 1,000-
WORD STORY.
Of course, if the national media had been paying attention, they would have
found out all they needed to know about the notorious swordsman’s relationship
with the ravishing Iranian-Canadian beauty queen, Nazanin Afshim-
Jam, back in June (Frank 588). But that’s beside the point.
Perhaps the best recent analysis of the Defence Minister’s new coupling
came from Calgary-based political scientist Tom Flanagan on a recent edition
of CBC Newsworld’s Power & Politics. Although host Evan Solomon
was more interested in discussing Peter’s possible defection to a law firm in
Upper Canada (see accompanying story), Tom’s mind was in the gutter.
“Have you seen Peter MacKay’s new girlfriend?” he exclaimed.
“It’s not surprising that he’s thinking about something other than politics. I’m
surprised he can still walk, actually.”
Barely masking a disgusted sneer, fellow panelist and Canadian Press
reporter Jenn Ditchburn commented: “I also hear she has a university degree.”