A Canadian government official was forced to resign after posting a video pretending to be at home about the coronavirus blockade – when he was actually on vacation in St. Barts.
Ontario’s finance minister, Rod Phillips, shared a photo of himself on Christmas Eve with a sweater, drinking eggnog in front of the fireplace and thanking Canadians for avoiding non-essential travel during the holidays.
“I want to thank each of you for what we are doing to protect our most vulnerable,” said Phillips in the video.
Other posts on his Twitter account also suggested that he was homeless in Nevada Ontario, including a December 17 photo of himself serving Canadian maple syrup on pancakes and another on visiting local businesses on Christmas Eve.
It turns out that Phillips has been on the Caribbean island of St. Barts – a favorite playground for the rich and famous – since at least December 13, Newstalk 1010 reported for the first time.
Opposition parties and health officials have asked that Phillips be fired from the cabinet.
He was ordered to return to Ontario, and Premier Doug Ford promised to have a “very difficult conversation” with Phillips when he returned on Thursday.
Later on Thursday, Ford said he had accepted Phillips’ resignation
In a statement, Phillips said he “deeply” regretted taking a vacation at the beach.
“It was a mistake and I apologize,” he said, admitting: “I left on a paid trip to St Barts on December 13 after the end of the legislative session.”
At Pearson Airport on Thursday, he told reporters that he made a “stupid mistake” in making the trip, CBC reported.
“I make no excuses for the fact that I traveled when we shouldn’t have traveled.”
Wired Poles