'A slap in the face': Edmonton police association upset with Madu; Kenney not answering questions
The leader of Edmonton's police association joined a growing list of people Wednesday who are calling for Kaycee Madu to step down permanently as Alberta's minister of justice and solicitor general.
Madu is embroiled in controversy after he admitted that he called the city's police chief after he received a distracted-driving ticket last March.
Madu paid the ticket, but still insists his phone was in his pocket before he was pulled over.
The MLA for Edmonton-South West, who is Black, said he called because he wanted to make sure he wasn't being surveilled or racially profiled by the Edmonton Police Service.
"I thought it was preposterous to make such an allegation," said S/Sgt. Michael Elliott, president of the Edmonton Police Association.
"I may get in trouble for saying this, but it's like a slap in the face to my colleagues," he told CTV News Edmonton.
In an explanation posted to Twitter Tuesday night, Madu referred to a case involving the Lethbridge Police Service.
Last July, LPS officers Sgt. Jason Carrier and Const. Keon Woronuk were temporarily demoted after admitting they tracked MLA Shannon Phillips and took photographs of her for personal and political 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 on my way to Legislature on a day I was meeting with the media to answer questions on Lethbridge Police Service," Madu wrote.
"Second, I also raised concerns around profiling of racial minorities that was in the media at the time and wanted the Chief to hear about my own experience. As Minister, these are concerns that were constantly being brought to my attention."
Madu said EPS Chief Dale McFee assured him he wasn't being watched or profiled, so the MLA accepted him at his word.
Elliott said he personally knows the officer that pulled over Madu and called the MLA's concerns "shameful and preposterous."
"We're out there 24/7 trying to assist and help the citizens every day. This was an infraction in a school zone, where there's children around, and giving a ticket for that is the appropriate measure," Elliott explained.
"But to look up and try to make an accusation, or to try to draw some parallel that it's race related, is unfathomable."
Elliott said EPS members who receive traffic tickets are not supposed to reach out to a supervisor or higher ranking officer about that because "it's just wrong."
Meanwhile, Premier Jason Kenney has not yet answered questions about when he knew about the incident and why it went unreported for 10 months.
CTV News Edmonton reached out to the justice ministry and to several people in the premier's office for comment on this story, but received no responses.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man books $7,700 luxury villa on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he was charged more than $7,700 to book a luxury villa on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.