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More than a dozen elected officials and political staffers travelled abroad over the Christmas break while public health officials pleaded with Canadians to remain home as COVID-19 cases surged.
A growing number of federal and provincial politicians from across the country have come under fire for crossing borders to tend to California homes, for example, or take a break from busy legislative seasons.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of Canadians have forgone such luxuries. Air travel is down 90 per cent, according to federal officials.
While most public officials who took personal trips have apologized, the public is not impressed. #ResignKenney was trending over the weekend in response to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney refusing to discipline party members and senior staffers.
Here’s a roundup of officials who travelled this holiday season.
Alberta
A slew of politicians admitted this week they travelled to warmer places for Christmas as the province had implemented lockdown measures.
Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard and Calgary MLA Jeremy Nixon were in Hawaii.
“In hindsight all I can do is apologize,” said Allard at a news conference. She had vacationed with her husband and daughter. “I was looking to honour a tradition with my family, respecting the guidelines.”
Press secretaries Michael Forian and Eliza Snider also appear to have travelled there, posting photos to now-deleted social media accounts.
Kenney’s Chief of Staff Jamie Huckabay returned from the United Kingdom despite a flight ban by travelling through the U.S.
MLA Jason Stephan was in Arizona and said on Facebook he supports people choosing for themselves whether or not they travel.
His colleagues Pat Rehn and Tanya Fir apologized for going to Mexico and the U.S., respectively.
Kenney issued a directive on Friday, forbidding his caucus members and senior staff from leaving Canada for personal reasons. He won’t be punishing anyone who did go on vacation, as he said he wasn’t clear about travel rules.
Calgary Conservative MP Ron Liepert flew to his California home twice during the pandemic, in March and December, CTV News reported. His office told CTV he had to “deal with essential house maintenance issues.”
Saskatchewan
Provincial Highways Minister Joe Hargrave went to California with his wife to finalize a home sale, and will return in January after quarantining there for 14 days. He apologized for travelling during the pandemic, calling the decision an “error in judgement.”
Premier Scott Moe was aware of the trip and will not remove Hargrave from his cabinet position, despite calls from the opposition NDP.
“To just decide to instead ignore the rules and abuse his power as a minister and decide to do what he felt like doing when everybody else is asked to be making sacrifices — it’s just wrong,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili at a news conference.
Manitoba
Manitoba MP Niki Ashton travelled to Greece over the holidays to visit her grandmother.
The federal New Democrats removed Ashton, a prominent caucus member and former leadership hopeful, from her cabinet critic positions over the trip. She did not inform leader Jagmeet Singh about her plans, although she reached out to Canadian officials for best practices, the party said in a statement.
Ontario
Ontario MPP Rod Phillipsresigned last week from his cabinet position as finance minister after vacationing in St. Barts.
He and his wife departed for the Caribbean on Dec. 13. Premier Doug Ford told reporters he learned about the trip shortly after Phillips arrived, but did not ask him to return to Ontario.
Leading up to the holidays, Phillips’ Twitter account showed him visiting businesses in his home riding of Ajax, posing outside his house for National Maple Syrup Day, and asking Canadians to make sacrifices over Christmas to control the pandemic.
All the while, Phillips was abroad despite public health recommendations.
Quebec
Pierre Arcand, a Liberal member of Quebec’s national assembly, took a trip to Barbados with his wife in December, while the province was in lockdown and despite party leader Dominique Anglade attempting to discourage him from doing so.
Coalition Avenir Québec MNA Youri Chassin travelled to Peru to be with his spouse, reported Radio-Canada. It had been a year since he’d seen his husband, who is in the process of immigrating to Canada but has faced barriers due to the pandemic.
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