EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has relieved Justice Minister Kaycee Madu of his duties after it came to light that Madu called Edmonton’s police chief about a traffic ticket.

© Provided by The Canadian Press
Kenney says while all parties agree Madu never asked Chief Dale McFee to cancel the ticket last March, there’s a bigger issue at play.


“It's essential the independent administration of justice is maintained,” Kenney said in an announcement on Twitter late Monday.

“That's why I will appoint a respected independent investigator to review the relevant facts and to determine whether there was interference in the administration of justice in this case."

“In the interim period, I have asked Minister Madu to step back from his ministerial duties."

Kenney said Energy Minster Sonya Savage will handle Madu’s justice portfolio in the meantime.

The premier said he spoke with Madu earlier in the day after the traffic ticket and phone call were reported by CBC. The CBC story said Madu was given a $300 ticket for distracted driving while using a cellphone in a school zone in March of last year, and that he called McFee soon after.

Kenney said he conveyed to Madu his "profound disappointment" in his decision to call the police chief after getting the ticket.

About 90 minutes prior to Kenney’s announcement, Madu issued a statement of his own.

Madu, who is Black, said he phoned McFee after he received the ticket but only to seek assurances that he was not being racially profiled or singled out for surveillance given his political position.

“At no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded. I would never do that. However, in that particular call, I regret raising the issue at all with Chief McFee,” Madu said.

“I paid the ticket fully and promptly. I have the utmost respect for our men and women in uniform, and for the invaluable, often thankless role they perform."

Madu recalled being pulled over by the Edmonton officer.

"The officer indicated that he had observed me driving while distracted, alleging that I was on my phone. I disagreed, stating that I was not on my phone, as it was in an inside pocket,” said Madu.

"Later, I spoke to Chief Dale McFee.

“Due to the timing of the incident, I wanted to ensure that I was not being unlawfully surveilled following the controversy surrounding the Lethbridge Police Service. I also raised concerns around profiling of racial minorities that was in the media at the time.

"Chief McFee assured me that that was most definitely not the case, and I accepted him at his word.”

Madu was referring to Lethbridge officers who were found to have conducted unauthorized surveillance on NDP legislature member Shannon Phillips in 2017, when Phillips was environment minister and there were concerns over potential government changes to restrict off-road vehicle access in environmentally sensitive areas.

McFee, through the police media relations office, declined an interview. But the service issued a short statement.

“Chief McFee did receive a phone call from Minister Madu in relation to a distracted driving ticket he was issued on March 10, 2021,” it said.

“Minister Madu had concerns about the context of the traffic stop. To be clear, he did not ask the chief to rescind the ticket. The ticket remains valid and was issued correctly.”

Earlier Monday, Opposition NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir called for Madu to be fired.

“Regular Alberta drivers do not have the ability to call their local police chief and discuss traffic tickets,” said Sabir.

“Madu used his position as minister to initiate this conversation, and regardless of whether he asked the chief to cancel the ticket, it is political interference for him to have discussed it all.”

Political scientist Duane Bratt said Kenney made the right decision.

“He had no choice,” said Bratt with Mount Royal University in Calgary. “You can’t have the justice minister calling the police chief about a ticket, about an active case, especially one involving you.

“There’s no wiggle room here.”

Madu represents the constituency of Edmonton-South West for the United Conservative government and was named justice minister in August 2020.

He is the lone UCP member in Edmonton. The rest of the city's constituencies are held by the NDP.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2022.

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/kenney-relieves-justice-minister-of-duties-orders-investigation-into-police-call/ar-AASSHUu?ocid=msedgntp

The Nigerian in him couldn’t resist

Africans go get sense by force.They will keep disgracing them

...' I will call your boss'

Nigerians always looking for a leeway out of such situations.

Why not just own up and pay for the speeding ticket?

Kenney said he conveyed to Madu his "profound disappointment" in his decision to call the police chief after getting the ticket.

Lol

I remember so very vividly this particular man insulting Nigeria government few weeks after his appointment.

He is no saint after all.

Sometimes it is good to face your work and keep shut.

Even when Nigeria government congratulated him. He reciprocated with bitterness synonymous of a typical IPOB sympathiser.

Naija na naija. Ok his village people at work?

He claims there was racism going on in the area.
He might be right.

Our brother from the dot!

Bellfun:
...' I will call your boss'

[s]Nigerians always looking for a leeway out of such situations[/s].

Why not just own up and pay for the speeding ticket?

Please stop dragging the rest of us into personal decision and failings of individuals. Even the disgraced former French PM Nicolas Sarkozy did far worse and was punished yet he is not from Nigeria you like to talk down on.
If you mess up, face it and move on after facing the consequences. It has absolutely nothing to do with Nigeria.

Coming from same Canada where most IPOB terrorists and sympathizers have called home, then this is a lesson. I can't recall this particular individual speaking against the IPOB terrorists and I wont be surprised if he is one of them who talk down on Nigeria because they believe in one fake sophistication the moment they get Canadian citizenship which still does not make them 1st class citizens.
I know folks based in that same Canada who always talk down on Nigeria until I cut them off because I know they're trying to console themselves.

He is being investigated but his admittance that he called the chief and brought up the issue of the ticket is a self-indictment. He may likely face prosecution if it's established that he is guilty. He was likely using the phone and saying the phone was in an inner pocket is not a denial that he was not using the phone and was distracted while driving.

I pray he learns from the mistake and move on.
All the enemies of Nigeria will lose las las. They always lose. God bless Nigeria forever.

They've been looking for a way to ease him out and he gave them the opportunity. His utterances and sometimes conducts have become a recurring embarrassment to his party and the government of Alberta.

I remember not too long ago his own party had to apologize to the prime minister (a different party) for some unguarded remarks he made regarding the handling of Covid19. He actually stayed this long because they didn't want him to play the race card and also, being one of the few prominent black faces in the conservative party.

Someone has moved our cheese again, I trust our honourable minister to bounce back

When you're black the laws are twice as harsh.

Osagyefo98:





Lol

I remember so very vividly this particular man insulting Nigeria government few weeks after his appointment.

He is no saint after all.

Sometimes it is good to face your work and keep shut.

Even when Nigeria government congratulated him. He reciprocated with bitterness synonymous of a typical IPOB sympathiser.

Since he started getting involved in IPOB propaganda it's only a matter of time for a fall

SlayerForever:
When you're black the laws are twice as harsh.

lol. Stop playing the racism card. Your guy messed up. Simple!