Former Alberta Justice Minister Appeals Reprimand in High-Profile Legal Challenge
Former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu is mounting a legal appeal to overturn a formal reprimand issued by a Law Society of Alberta tribunal. The case centers on a controversial phone call Madu made to then-Edmonton police chief Dale McFee in 2021, shortly after receiving a distracted driving ticket near two schools while en route to the legislature.
Context of the Call: Racial Profiling vs. Professional Conduct
During Tuesday's appeal hearing, Madu's lawyer, Perry Mack, argued vigorously that the tribunal's initial ruling fundamentally misinterpreted the purpose of the call. Mack contended that the panel focused excessively on Madu's conduct as a minister rather than evaluating his actions within his professional capacity as a lawyer. He emphasized that the traffic ticket served merely as a prompt for the conversation, not its primary objective.
"They treated the traffic ticket as the purpose of the call, as opposed to the prompt for the call," Mack stated during proceedings. "As the minister of justice who worked with all of the chiefs of police in Alberta, who had their phone numbers on his cellphone, and who had daily access, he was perfectly entitled to call the chief of police when he had a concern about an issue of racial profiling."
Key Arguments in the Appeal
Mack elaborated on the broader context surrounding the eight-minute conversation, pointing to Madu's extensive work as justice minister addressing racial profiling issues. He also referenced media reports about police surveillance of politicians, specifically mentioning the case of Opposition MLA Shannon Phillips in Lethbridge.
- Context Ignored: Mack asserted that the hearing committee dismissed the critical context of the call, noting that Chief McFee testified Madu never requested the ticket be cancelled.
- Professional Boundaries: "The law society has no business telling a minister they cannot call the chief of police about matters of public policy, even if the springboard to that call is a traffic ticket at the side of the road," Mack argued.
Law Society's Counterarguments
Law society lawyer Ken McEwan presented opposing arguments, maintaining that Madu's actions blurred ethical lines regardless of his intent. McEwan stressed that even if Madu did not explicitly seek to have the ticket dismissed, his use of ministerial access to address a personal matter was inappropriate.
"It remains that he nonetheless used his position as minister of justice and solicitor general to privately address a personal issue," McEwan argued. "He uses his access as a minister that no other member of the public would have to raise the traffic ticket and other issues. The panel concluded it was inappropriate to take the ticket and put it into that context with the chief of police."
Background and Consequences
The tribunal's original ruling, issued twelve months ago, found that Madu "undermined respect for the administration of justice" through his actions. In addition to the written reprimand, Madu was ordered to pay $38,810.42 in costs, with the panel describing his conduct as "found markedly wanting."
- Timeline: The incident occurred in 2021 when Madu received a distracted driving ticket near schools while traveling to the Alberta legislature.
- Tribunal Decision: The Law Society of Alberta tribunal ruled against Madu in 2025, imposing financial penalties and a formal reprimand.
- Current Status: The appeal hearing concluded with the tribunal expected to issue a written ruling in the coming weeks.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between professional legal ethics, political authority, and concerns about racial bias in policing. The outcome could set significant precedents for how law societies regulate the conduct of lawyer-politicians in similar situations across Canada.
