Reasonable grounds appear to exist for Kaycee Madu to be charged
By Lethbridge Herald on March 16, 2022.
Editor:
I have followed the saga of Kelechi (Kaycee) Madu QC, then Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, and his phone call to Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee wherein Madu raised three issues: firstly, a distracted driving ticket that he was issued whilst in a school zone; secondly, a concern that this ticket was issued to him because he is Black; and thirdly, that this ticket was issued to him because he was being surveilled like MLA Phillips was being surveilled in Lethbridge.
It was most difficult for me to believe that any conversation concurrently involving those three items could possibly not be an attempt to interfere with the administration of justice.
Upon learning of the call, Premier Kenney suspended Madu from Executive Council and appointed retired Court of Queen’s Bench Justice C. Adele Kent to investigate. Justice Kent issued her report on February 15, 2022 and the Premier released the following statement on February 25: “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”.
As a lifelong Conservative it pains me to advise that premier’s statement is both inaccurate and misleading. The actual conclusions of the Kent Report are as follows:
1. Did Minister Madu interfere with the administration of justice? Justice Kent’s conclusion: He did not.
2.Did Minister Madu attempt to interfere with the administration of justice? Justice Kent’s conclusion: He did.
3.Is there a reasonable perception that Minister Madu interfered with the administration of justice? Justice Kent’s conclusion: Yes.
The entire report chronicles Madu’s clumsy and inarticulate alleged attempt to interfere with the administration of justice as being thwarted solely by Chief McFee and his firm response that Madu could either pay the ticket or fight it in court.
The fact that Madu took pains to ensure that the constable was aware that he was Minister of Justice at the time speaks to both Madu’s character and the professionalism of the Edmonton constable who wrote the ticket.
Madu’s attempt to impugn the Edmonton Police Service and the constable in question as being involved in racial profiling respecting the issuance of a traffic ticket was addressed as follows by Justice Kent: “There is nothing about the stop that could lead a reasonable person to conclude that Minister Madu was racially profiled”. Madu should apologize immediately and unreservedly.
Madu’s desperate attempt to shift blame to the Edmonton Police Service for conducting an unauthorized surveillance in the issuance of a traffic ticket was addressed by Justice Kent as follows: “There is nothing that I have been shown to suggest that whatever may have happened in Lethbridge has infected other police forces”. Madu should again apologize immediately and unreservedly.
The Kent Report is a privately commissioned document and holds no legal authority. However, it certainly creates through its conclusions reasonable grounds for criminal charges to be laid.
Just because Madu was inept and unsuccessful does not mean that his alleged attempt to interfere in the administration of justice was not illegal. And Madu deserves every right to clear his name.
Publicly. In a court of law.
David B Carpenter
Lethbridge
18-17
It seems that the Premier also had a difficult time accurately reading the Allan Comission report. Is this a symptom of character or a reading disorder?
A good summary of this event, Mr. Carpenter. To clarify the timeline, did Kenney respond after learning about Madu’s call, or after the media learned about it?
Reformers never admit anything until they get caught and thank goodness we have reporters to catch them. I believe it was the CBC in this case.
Personally I’m disappointed by Mr . Mado’s response and actions to the ticket, but not too many people are wanting to accept or willingly pay a ticket.
Natural reaction seems to be denial to wrong doing or somehow try to get out of paying using any excuse. Don’t think he did anything illegal in response though.
Unfortunately, we many of these people of the “seeking power” persuasion entering politics. One that comes immediately to mine is the son of the Ex Prime Minister of Canada, or maybe the Dictator of Cuba. And we elect them so we are at fault, not them.