Published 19th Jan, 2022

By Tola Owoyele

Kaycee Madu, the Nigeria-born Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General of Alberta, Western Canada, caught up in a controversy following a phone call to the province’s police chief after allegedly violating a traffic law, has agreed to step down.

The embattled minister made his decision known on Wednesday, when he took to his verified social media handles to give his own account of the incident.

“On the morning of March 10, I was scheduled to meet with the media at the Rotunda of the Legislature before Question Period to address their questions and speak to matters concerning the Lethbridge Police Service,” Madu said.

“Minutes after leaving my home on my way to the Legislature, I was pulled over by an officer of the Edmonton Police Service. 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. To be absolutely clear, my phone was inside the left hand side pocket of my suit and I was wearing a winter jacket. I identified myself and drove away.”

After the encounter with the police officer, the minister claimed he decided to call Dale McFee, the Edmonton police chief, to share the experience he had just had for two reasons: first, he wanted to be sure that he was not being unlawfully surveilled, and he wanted to be sure that he was not being made a victim of racial profiling.

He said he raised the two concerns with McFee because they were the major issues always brought to his attention as justice minister.

“That said, with hindsight, now I can see how that may be perceived. There is a saying that perception is everything in politics, and I regret raising the issue at all with Chief McFee,” Madu said.

He also said that in his role as justice minister and solicitor general, he had worked diligently to ensure a province where all inhabitants could feel respected.

“With all these in mind, I am one that always holds myself accountable for my actions. I respect the premier’s direction for me to take a temporary leave of absence pending the outcome of the independent investigation,” said Madu.

According to some Canadian tabloids, Madu was fined $300 (Canadian Dollar) for flouting a traffic regulation, a fine he paid two days later.

When the phone conversation Madu had with McFee was made public on Tuesday, Jason Kenny, the Premier of Alberta, directed Madu to step aside pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the matter.

Madu became a celebrated figure, especially in Nigeria, his country of birth, when he assumed the role of the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General of Alberta in August 2020.

See full statement here:

Many have reached out to me wanting to know the circumstances of the ticket that I received and my subsequent call to the Edmonton Police Service Chief, Dale McFee. I have issued a formal statement to the media. The premier has also issued a statement on his planned course of action. On the morning of March 10, I was scheduled to meet with the media at the Rotunda of the Legislature before Question Period to address their questions and speak to matters concerning the Lethbridge Police Service.Minutes after leaving my home on my way to the Legislature, I was pulled over by an officer of the Edmonton Police Service.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. To be absolutely clear my phone was inside the left hand side pocket of my suit and I was wearing a winter jacket. I identified myself and drove away. Later, I spoke to Chief McFee to share the experience I have just had, and specifically for two reasons.

First, due to the timing of the incident, I wanted to ensure that I was not being unlawfully surveilled following the Lethbridge Police Service controversy, and in particular given the fact that I was on my way to Legislature on a day that I was meeting with the media to address and answer questions around calls for action to deal with the ongoing issues at the Lethbridge Police Service. Second, I also raised concerns around profiling of racial minorities that was in the media at the time and wanted the hear about my own experience. As Minister, these are concerns that were constantly being brought to my attention. The reason why I was proceeding in the Legislature with Bill 63 to ban carding which I tabled for first reading on April 7, 2021. I wanted to share this personal experience and encounter with the Chief of Police. Chief McFee assured me that that was most definitely not the case, and I accepted him at his word.I want to be abundantly clear, at no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded. I can assure that in my life I would never do any such thing.

That said, with hindsight now I can see how that may be perceived. There is a saying that perception is everything in politics, and I regret raising the issue at all with Chief McFee.I paid the ticket fully and promptly. In my role as the Justice Minister and Solicitor General, I have worked diligently to ensure we build a province in which all of us – no matter the circumstances of our birth, economic, religious, social or cultural background can feel respected and welcomed. That’s the definition of my own life and I will continue as long as I have the opportunity and privilege to do so. Finally, I have always defended the men and women who put on the uniform to serve. I have the utmost respect for them, and for the invaluable, often thankless role they perform.With all these in mind, I am one that always hold myself accountable for my actions. I respect the Premier’s direction for me to take a temporary leave of absence pending the outcome of the independent investigation.

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