What do you get when you match up one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world with what the New York Times once referred to as “the closest thing to eye candy on the diplomatic circuit?”
You get the Canadian equivalent of a Royal Wedding between Defense Minister Peter McKay and his latest squeeze, Nazanin Afshin-Jam. You also get a much closer look at the happy couple and the events that led up to their surprise wedding.
Speaking as a father of daughters, I am a little suspect of Mr. Mckay’s very public romantic dalliances in the past. This Romeo’s questionable behaviour began in 2004 when he and Belinda Stronach began pitching woo on the conservative side of the House of Commons.
They were referred to as Canada’s Prom King and Queen at the time but they soon went on to demonstrate that other well-known cliché – politics makes strange bedfellows.
Ms Stronach quite ceremoniously dumped her prospective suitor and the Conservative Party in 2005 when she crossed the House to a much hotter Paul Martin and his band of Liberals.
Peter was crushed. He did what any other dumped Canadian man would do in similar circumstances – he disrespected his ex-girlfriend on national TV with a reference to the unquestionable loyalty of his family dog. Not too classy Mr. McKay.
In an attempted rebound he was then seen spending a lot of time with U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice although they were never really confirmed to be an item. If it ever was and who dumped who, remains a secret. It was during this particular dalliance when the New York Times made that eye candy remark about Mr. McKay.
I’m afraid I have to intervene again. I’ve seen Peter McKay and I’ve seen candy and with all due respect, as sweet as he may be, he doesn’t look like a box of chocolates to me. Of course, when you are part of an international diplomatic corps that includes such former beauties as Charles De Gaulle and Leonid Brezhnev, it’s easy to be a pretty boy.
At any rate, Peter next went public with his love life in 2009 when he announced his engagement to CTV executive Jana Juginovic.
Alas, this affair was also short-lived and they broke it off in mid 2010.
It was rumored at the time that our romantic minister had decided to trade up and was already seeing his future wife and former beauty pageant winner, Nazanin Afshin-Jam.
Ms Afshin-Jam, Miss World Canada 2003, was indeed on the list of the world’s 50 most beautiful people. She is also a pilot, a popular singer and a high profile human rights activist fluent in three languages. She is 32 years old and her life so far is an inspiring story. I have to wonder what she’s doing with this guy.
I keep thinking about Lyle Lovett’s comment when asked about his relationship with Julia Roberts. He pointed out that even a blind chicken will scratch up a piece of corn every now and then. Maybe that’s what happened here. Either that or maybe Peter McKay is using his cabinet position to pick up women.
Like I said, I have a couple daughters of my own and I’m a little suspicious.
In a 2005 interview Mr. McKay (now 42) lamented the fact he had not started a family.
He said he would choose family over political ambitions and even the country for that matter. He intended to have both.
A senior Conservative said Peter wants his special someone to be waiting at home for him at the end of his busy day. To Peter McKay, his job is more important than women. I wonder what his beautiful new bride thinks about that. Maybe she feels the same way.
They both wanted a very personal and family-oriented wedding. They picked a beautiful, quaint, hillside chapel overlooking the ocean.
It sounds just like Mr. McKay’s home in Nova Scotia but in fact, it was in Mexico, of all places.
The newlyweds haven’t shared their plans for the future but I’m sure all Canadians wish them well when they move home to raise a family. At this point, however, being a newlywed in love and all that, I’m sure Mr. McKay is running on hormones and instinct alone, just the way his boss runs the country.
But Peter is still an ambitious man. Has he just introduced us to our next first lady?
