Alberta NDP MLA Thomas Dang Resigns After RCMP Search Home | The Canadian News

Alberta opposition leader Rachel Notley says Edmonton-South MLA Thomas Dang withdrew from the NDP caucus immediately, amid an RCMP investigation.

Notley said Tuesday that Dang informed his office earlier that morning that the RCMP had executed a search warrant at his home.

Notley said he does not know the exact details about the accusation against Dang.

“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 registries website,” Notley said.

The RCMP was not immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

“As far as we know, the situation is this: In September, all Albertans heard anecdotal reports that they were able to access other Albertans’ protected health information through the website. This was later shown to be correct, ”Notley continued.

“During that time before, when concerns about what could and could not be accessed through the COVID-19 records webpage were first raised, Thomas visited the website and then contacted Alberta. Health proactively about your concerns. “

“We are not sure of the details of the current investigation.”

Notley said that because the matter is under active police investigation, Dang said he will resign and she agreed to that request.

Dang could not be reached for comment.

“Our caucus has a long-standing policy that members under active police investigation will not sit in the caucus,” Notley continued, adding that its standard “stems from a very clear belief and the need to separate the legislative and judicial branches of the government. The practice that had developed over the years was what you are seeing of me, our group, and Thomas right now. When there is an active police investigation, there must be some recognition of that with respect to what is underway.

“I worked for the attorney general in British Columbia in the 1990s and that was the standard that was used then and, frankly, that is the standard that you see in most jurisdictions. It is really only with the PCU that that water has become muddy. “

Notley said Dang was not home when the RCMP arrived Tuesday morning, but a relative was home. She said she wanted to be as honest with Albertans as possible.

Dang was first elected in 2015 and has represented Edmonton’s South Borough ever since.