Ontario Premier Doug Ford accepts resignation of hypocritical minister who went on vacation during lockdown

Roberto Wakerell-Cruz
The Post Millennial
Thu, 31 Dec 2020 18:56 UTC

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told media that he has accepted the resignation of disgraced Finance Minister Rod Phillips.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told media that he has accepted the resignation of Finance Minister Rod Phillips after it was revealed earlier this week that the minister flew to a Caribbean island for a holiday vacation.

"At a time when the people of Ontario have sacrificed so much, today's resignation is a demonstration that our government takes seriously our obligation to hold ourselves to a higher standard," said Ford in a statement released on Thursday.

Peter Bethlenfalvy, president of the treasury board, will take pick up where Phillips left off ahead of the 2021 budget.

"This appointment will help ensure economic stability in the months ahead, as we support Ontario families, workers and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we chart our path to long-term economic recovery," said Ford, according to The Toronto Sun.

Phillips left the country for St. Barthelemy, a pricey island in the Caribbean some time earlier in December. The office of the premier said that Ford was not aware of Phillips' trip until after he had left Canada.

Phillips arrived back in Canada on Thursday morning, at Ford's request. Phillips said that he hoped to regain the public's trust, apologizing for what he called a "dumb mistake."

"I wanted to take this opportunity to unreservedly apologize for my decision to travel over the holidays... I've disappointed no one more than myself."

"It was a significant error in judgment. A dumb, dumb mistake, I apologize for it, I regret it," Philips said at Pearson airport Thursday morning.

Christmas misdirection

Criticism against Phillips came from multiple directions, as many pointed out that the minister had uploaded a video from his Ontario home wishing Canadians a safe and happy Christmas Eve. The video, which was filmed prior to Phillips' departure to St. Barthelemy, was not made to fool the public into thinking he was still in the country, said the minister.

"I understand why some people believe that is the case but it is not - many politicians, in fact most politicians pre-plan and pre-load messages on social media," said Phillips on Thursday.

Comment: The hypocrisy goes even deeper. More from RT:

Outcry after Canadian minister defies Covid-19 rules with clandestine Caribbean trip while calling on Twitter for 'sacrifices'
31 Dec, 2020 05:53

...

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 admission followed weeks of speculation about whether the minister had remained in Canada, where national and provincial health officials have urged against "non-essential" travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Adding insult to injury, Phillips appears to have arranged a series of Twitter posts in recent weeks to indicate that he hadn't left the country, sharing photos of himself meeting with local business owners - and seemingly wearing the same clothes in all of them.

...

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.

These leaders know damn well there is no danger from a killer virus out there, ready to strike anyone disobeying the lockdown restrictions, so why wouldn't they sneak away for a relaxing holiday. The rules are for us, not for them.

See also:

• 'Hypocrites': Sky News broadcasters caught flouting lockdown restrictions at party, after spending months scolding others
• 'Hypocrites of 2020': Los Angeles boutique store blasts Hunter Biden, Pelosi, Fauci, & others with unusual holiday window decorations
• Hypocrite Cuomo allows rock stars to bypass New York quarantine to attend VMAs
• Rules for thee, not for me? German president thrashed for not wearing mask on vacation while lecturing others to do so
• White House Covid response coordinator went to family Thanksgiving despite her travel warnings
• San Jose mayor 'apologizes' after getting caught gathering with his family for Thanksgiving in defiance of California Covid order
• Another hypocritical leader: After warnings to avoid travel, Denver Mayor Hancock flies to visit family for Thanksgiving