Edmonton-South West MLA Thomas Dang has removed himself from the NDP caucus after it was revealed RCMP recently searched his home..The news was confirmed at the legislature around lunchtime on Tuesday by NDP leader Rachel Notley..Notley said she wasn’t clear about what the RCMP was searching for, but said she believed it was something to do with a breach of Alberta Health records. The search happened Tuesday morning while Dang was away from home skiing with his partner..“At this time we believe this matter is related to the issue that arose when Alberta Health inadvertently disclosed personal health information through the COVID-19 Records website,” Notley told reporters..“However, during that time prior when concerns were first raised about what could and couldn’t be accessed through the COVID-19 records webpage, Thomas visited the website and then contacted Alberta Health proactively about his concerns..“We are not sure of the specifics of the current investigation. Either way, however, as this matter is now under active police investigation, Thomas has offered to step aside from our caucus and I have agreed to that request.”.The RCMP put out a statement Tuesday night calling it a “complex” investigation..“On November 18, 2021, Alberta RCMP Cybercrime Investigative Team (CIT) initiated a criminal investigation after receiving information regarding suspicious activity related to unlawful access of private information related to the vaccination records portal,” said the force in a release..“The Alberta RCMP CIT, in the course of their investigation, developed reasonable grounds to apply for a Warrant to Search the residence of an Edmonton resident. Alberta RCMP CIT executed the warrant on Dec. 21, 2021. No arrests or charges have been laid at this time..“This is a priority investigation that the Alberta RCMP CIT has undertaken. The Alberta RCMP CIT would also emphasize that this is a very complex investigation that involves the examination of a significant volume of forensic digital evidence. This work will take a considerable amount of time to thoroughly complete.”.Dang is currently the NDP’s ethics critic. In February, he was appointed Official Opposition Deputy House leader..The NDP has a policy that members actively under investigation must remove themselves from caucus..Dang is the youngest MLA to ever be elected in Alberta, 25 years old in 2015..He had been tipped as a future education minister should Notley win the election in 2023..Famously in 2019, while Dang was speaking, Premier Jason Kenney handed out earplugs to his colleagues in the Legislature..“I heard him say ‘this is so you don’t have to listen to Thomas and the others over there,'” CBC reported Dang said at the time..“And I think that’s something that is truly disappointing and unbecoming of a premier.”.More to come…
