Madu out as justice minister after investigation found he tried to interfere with administration of justice
CBC
Kaycee Madu is out as Alberta's justice minister after an investigation found he attempted to interfere with the administration of justice.
An inquiry was launched in January following revelations that Madu had telephoned Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee to discuss a $300 distracted driving ticket he received on March 10, 2021.
The investigation report, written by retired Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Justice Adèle Kent, was submitted to the province Feb. 15. It was made public Friday.
"The logical next step would mean that he expected the chief to respond to his concerns about the ticket," Kent said in the report.
"There is a process that the Minister knows well to address questions of police conduct. It does not start with a phone call to the chief of police."
Madu did not interfere with the administration of justice, the report says, noting the conversation did not reach the point where the minister asked the chief to do something about the ticket.
But the minister did try to interfere, it adds. Madu said he was looking for assurances the stop was not motivated by illegal surveillance or racial profiling.
Kent noted in the report that Madu's anger and concern about possibly being racially profiled were understandable reactions.
"It does not absolve the minister from responsibility but it is an explanation that deserves recognition."
Premier Jason Kenney issued a statement Friday, responding to the report. He honed in on the report's third conclusion: the call had created a reasonable perception of interference.
"The report concludes that Minister Madu did not interfere in the administration of justice but that the phone call could create a reasonable perception of interference," he said.
The investigation found Madu's motivation "was not to reverse the ticket but to raise broader concerns, particularly related to racial profiling," he added.
Kenney's statement did not address that Madu was found to have attempted to interfere with the administration of justice.
Given the report's findings, Kenney felt Madu should no longer be justice minister — but he will remain in cabinet.
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