A member of the Alberta legislature investigated by the RCMP after pleading guilty to hacking a government health website has been charged under the Provincial Health Information Act.
The Alberta RCMP’s cybercrime investigation team says it has filed charges against Thomas Dang for illegally attempting to access personal information contained in the Alberta Health vaccine portal.
If convicted, a second-term MAP for Edmonton South could be fined up to $ 200,000.
He is due to appear in court on July 27.
The RCMP announced the indictment in a statement Friday.
No criminal charges
Dang has been under criminal investigation since last November, when the RCMP said it had received information about suspicious activity related to the vaccination records portal.
Leah Ward, a media spokeswoman for Dang, said he was informed last week that he would not be charged with a crime.
“[There’s] a little relief about the information he received last week through his lawyer, who was informed by the crown that the criminal investigation was over and that there would be no criminal charges, “Ward told CBC News on Friday.
The RCMP searched Dang’s residence on December 21. Police are investigating after Dang admitted to using his computer to track voter information about possible loopholes that allow people to access personal health information on the province’s COVID-19 vaccine website.
He later said that when he encountered obstacles in trying to violate the vaccination site, he used Prime Minister Jason Kenny’s date of birth and vaccination dates – both publicly available – which allowed him to violate the site’s privacy guarantees.
Dang resigned from the NDP when he learned of the RCMP’s investigation in December 2021 and sat in the Chamber as an independent MLA.
Following news last week that he would not be charged with a crime, Dang sent a letter to NDP group chairman Joe Cessie asking for permission to rejoin the NDP group.
NDP leader Rachel Notley issued a statement shortly afterwards.
“I will review the new information provided by Thomas Dang and consult with my colleagues before deciding whether he can return to our group.”
Notley said the party’s chief executive would review the information before deciding whether Dang would be allowed to seek the NDP nomination in Edmonton South.
Brad Rutherford, the UCP’s chief government whip, said in a statement that Dang should resign.
“Thomas Dang’s behavior is disgraceful and culminates in these allegations by the RCMP,” he said.
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