There may be a connection between a Nova Scotia cabinet minister who took a leave of absence and assault charges laid against a former Liberal caucus worker.
Andrew Younger requested the leave for personal reasons in late December, stepping away from cabinet a few days after police concluded their investigation.
Halifax Regional Police began an investigation on Nov. 6, and as a result began a second, unrelated investigation a few weeks later.
One month later, Tara Gault, a policy analyst and researcher for the Liberal caucus between 2008 and 2011, was arrested.
“That woman was arrested and served with a promise to appear on a single charge of common assault,” said police spokesman Cst. Pierre Bourdages.
Bourdages said it was not a random act, and that the alleged victim and suspect knew each other.
Gault’s time working for the Liberals ended in 2011 when she left to study law at Dalhousie University. For some of that time, Younger was an Opposition MLA, with his office in the same building.
The incident in question is alleged to have taken place in Halifax on Oct. 22, 2013, after the new Liberal government had been sworn in at Annapolis Royal.
However, Bourdages said the alleged victim did not file a complaint.
“In this case, the information came to police through another investigation. It did not come through the victim,” he said.
Premier Stephen McNeil’s office would not talk on camera or by phone on Tuesday, but issued a statement almost identical to the original one issued on Dec. 23, saying Younger requested the leave for personal reasons and his responsibilities have been redistributed.
This has resulted in a several questions from Conservative MLAs and others.
“I think people are looking to the Premier’s office to get an answer on what’s going on,” said Progressive Conservative MLA Eddie Orrell.
“Why is (Younger) still being paid as a minister when another individual has taken on that responsibility and taken on that workload,” said Kevin Lacey of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Younger was not at his constituency office on Tuesday and would not respond to interview requests.
Gault, who now works in Halifax’s legal office, was also unavailable.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Rick Grant
