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Vacations abroad cost Canadian politicians' jobs amid COVID-19 travel curbs

Conservative member of parliament David Sweet resigned as chair of the House of Commons' ethics committee after he traveled to the United States to deal with a "property issue" but stayed on for leisure, federal opposition Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole's office said in a statement.

Nia Williams (Reuters)
Calgary, Alberta
Tue, January 5, 2021

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Vacations abroad cost Canadian politicians' jobs amid COVID-19 travel curbs Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O'Toole speaks during a news conference on Parliament Hill Aug.25, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario. Canadian Conservatives on August 24, 2020 announced their new leader, former air force navigator Erin O'Toole, who will quickly have to get the party battle-ready to challenge liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in possible snap elections. Following a largely virtual campaign due to the coronavirus epidemic, O'Toole, 47, was proclaimed the winner early Monday after a record 175,000 voted in the party race. (AFP/Dave Chan)

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ight Canadian politicians resigned or were demoted on Monday after traveling internationally over the Christmas holidays despite urging from government officials to avoid non-essential trips during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conservative member of parliament David Sweet resigned as chair of the House of Commons' ethics committee after he traveled to the United States to deal with a "property issue" but stayed on for leisure, federal opposition Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole's office said in a statement.

In the western province of Alberta, Premier Jason Kenney said on social media he accepted the resignation of Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard and asked his chief of staff Jamie Huckabay to step down after they traveled to Hawaii and the United Kingdom respectively.

"I have listened to Albertans who are sending a clear message that they want real consequences for these actions," Kenney said. "By traveling abroad over the holidays, these individuals demonstrated extremely poor judgment."

Pictures on social media showed a large banner reading "Welcome Home, Aloha Allard" hung outside Allard's constituency office in Grand Prairie. Local media reported angry constituents had put it there.

Five other legislative assembly members of Alberta's ruling United Conservative Party have been demoted for traveling abroad over the holidays, violating coronavirus travel warnings issued by federal and provincial governments.

Scott Moe, premier of Saskatchewan, said in a statement he accepted the resignation of Highways Minister Joe Hargrave, who visited California. Hargrave's claim that he traveled to finalize a home sale was questioned by the opposition party.

Last week, Ontario's Finance Minister Rod Phillips resigned after public outrage over a Caribbean vacation he took in December.

As of Jan. 3, Canada had reported 601,663 COVID-19 cases, up 6,578 on the day, and 15,865 deaths, up 41 on the day.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent Christmas at home with his family over the holidays and no federal cabinet ministers traveled either, a government official said.

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