Kaycee Madu's political career is over

Madu should resign his seat lest he face a humiliating defeat in 2023

Kaycee Madu was forced to step aside as justice minister after revelations he called the Edmonton police chief about a traffic ticket. (Facebook)

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says Kaycee Madu will “step back” from his role as Justice Minister while an investigation is conducted into his calling up the Edmonton police chief after receiving a distracted driving ticket.

This follows a Monday report from CBC News that Madu received a $300 traffic ticket in March for using his phone in a school zone, and then called Edmonton Police Service Chief Dale McFee. Both parties insist Madu’s didn’t call McFee in an effort to quash the ticket.

Jason Kenney @jkenney

Minister Madu told me that he did not ask to have the ticket rescinded, nor was it his intention to interfere in the case, and that he promptly paid the ticket. I understand that Chief McFee has confirmed that at no time did the Minister seek to have the ticket rescinded. 2/5

Jason Kenney @jkenney

In the interim period, I have asked Minister Madu to step back from his ministerial duties. Minister Sonya Savage will act as Minister of Justice and Solicitor General during Minister Madu’s leave of absence. 4/5

Well, then what was it?

The CBC’s Elise von Scheel and Janice Johnston reported:

The chief said that during the call, Madu, who is Black, expressed concern about people of colour being stopped by police and, separately, political tension with the Lethbridge Police Service. At the time, the provincial government was preparing to step in after reports of unlawful surveillance and database searches conducted by Lethbridge officers on NDP MLA Shannon Phillips during her time as environment minister. 

CTV News’s Sean Amato reported Tuesday that according to “several sources,” UCP staffers knew of Madu’s ticket and his outreach to McFee days after it occurred.

With Madu’s accumulated political blunders over the past three years, he should resign his seat before voters send him packing in 2023.