By AMBER GOSSELIN
Embattled former Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu now says he “regrets” phoning Edmonton police chief Dale McFee shortly after he was handed a $300 ticket for distracted driving in a playground zone.
“With hindsight, now I can see how that may be perceived,” Madu said in a lengthy Twitter statement.
Premier Jason Kenney removed Madu from cabinet shortly after the CBC broke the story on Monday afternoon.
Madu was fined $300 on March 10, 2021 after an Edmonton police officer caught him talking on his cellphone while driving through a playground zone.
“I want to be abundantly clear, at no point did I request that the ticket be rescinded.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,” Madu said in the statement that was also posted on his Facebook page.
In his social media posts, Madu indicated he contacted McFee to rule out possible racial profiling and police surveillance, citing the 2017 illegal surveillance of NDP Shannon Phillips by the Lethbridge City Police.
Madu is a black Nigerian immigrant.
Madu admitted the optics of the call were not great: “…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.”
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