As the scandal grabbed headlines in national media, Ontario Premier Doug Ford insisted he had not been aware of Phillips’ plans to make the trip. He admitted, however, that at some point he became aware of the minister’s overseas travels, yet did not demand he return immediately to the province – at least not until the trip became known to the media.
“I did call him shortly after he arrived and I asked him and he said he was away,” Ford told reporters on Wednesday, saying elsewhere that he was “extremely disappointed” in the minister’s decision to travel “at a time when every Ontarian has been asked to make sacrifices.”
The Progressive Conservative Party minister also shared a video message on Christmas Eve – in what looks to be the same outfit – lamenting that many Canadians would not be able to meet family face to face during the holidays. Earlier the same day, he had similarly commended the “sacrifices” some would have to make at Christmas – though a tropical getaway did not make the list.
Phillips went to some lengths to conceal his location during his stay in St. Barts. During a video conference call on December 16, the finance minister used a virtual backdrop of Ontario’s legislative building while he spoke over the sound of waves, as the province’s Liberal Party later pointed out in a tweet.
While Phillips was overseas, moreover, Ontario imposed a province-wide lockdown that took effect on December 26, further tightening restrictions on “non-essential” travel. In a previous statement, he said he would have “cancelled the trip” had he known a new shutdown was in store.
The mea culpas appear to have done little to quieten critics, however, with residents blasting Phillips for flouting his own government’s “simple public health guidelines,” and Globe and Mail columnist Peter Scowen demanding his resignation.
Ontario New Democratic Party head Andrea Horwath also called for the minister to be removed from the cabinet, deeming the situation “shameful” while blasting Ford for “knowing that this was the case and simply turning a blind eye.” She added: “There has to be some accountability for these kinds of things.”
Phillips joins a long list of world leaders and lawmakers caught flouting Covid-19 restrictions, including rules they themselves helped to implement. In the US especially, a litany of politicians have found themselves in hot water over similar gaffes, at times being seen to have violated containment measures mere hours after imposing them over their constituents.
Also on rt.com‘Different rules for different folks’: Nancy Pelosi caught getting hair done in closed salon amid Covid-19 restrictions‘Should have modeled better behavior,’ California governor says after attending party that breaks his own strict Covid-19 adviceChicago mayor defends partying with crowd of Biden voters after blaming weddings and funerals for Covid-19 spread‘Rank hypocrisy‘: LA County supervisor caught dining outside HOURS after voting to ban the practice‘Stay home’ to beat Covid-19, Texas mayor tells citizens – from vacation in MEXICODenver mayor tells residents to ‘avoid travel’ for Thanksgiving – then boards flight for a family gathering moments later
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