Canada's defense minister marries Iranian-born Nazanin Afshin-Jam
The Vancouver Sun reports that Canada's defense minister Peter MacKay has tied the knot Wednesday with Nazanin Afshin-Jam in a private ceremony in Mexico.
Former (Iranian-born) Miss World Canada, Nazanin Afshin-Jam met Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay (former Foreign Affairs Minister) about seven years ago when she was in Ottawa to speak about human rights abuses. The two have been seen together since then.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam, born 1979 in Tehran, Iran, is an Iranian-Canadian human rights activist, singer, songwriter, model, actress, pilot, former Miss World Canada (2003) and Miss World 1st runner up. Afshin-Jam immigrated with her family to North Vancouver, B.C., in 1981 after having fled Iran for Spain when she was just a baby. Her father had been general manger of the Sheraton Hotel in Tehran where music, alcohol and parties were part of the routine before the 1979 Islamic revolution. After the revolution, he was thrown in jail but a friend managed to secure his release.
Afshin-Jam speaks three languages and was once named one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.
"She is the most important person in my life and over the coming months, Nazanin and I look forward to spending more time at home in Central Nova and sharing our happiness with all of you," MacKay said in a statement on his website.
MacKay's personal life has frequently made headlines in recent years. In a September 2006 article, the New York Times cited rumours that MacKay and former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice were getting close to each other. In the summer of 2010, MacKay ended his engagement with Jana Juginovic, a CTV executive.
A senior Conservative had said about MacKay: "He doesn't want to settle down. Peter puts work before women." But in a 2005 interview MacKay himself indicated if he had to choose between the prospect of leading a political party — or even the country — he would choose family. "That's not to say you can't do both," he added at the time.
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