In a statement provided to Newstalk 1010 on Tuesday, Phillips said that he and his wife departed on a previously planned trip outside of Canada sometime following the end of the legislative session on Dec. 8.
While it is not precisely clear when Phillips actually departed for his trip, a photo posted to Instagram would seem to indicate that he was still in the country on Dec. 11. At a news conference one day prior to that, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams said that he had “great concerns” about people travelling internationally over the holidays, especially to areas with higher levels of transmission.
In his statement, Phillips said that he would have cancelled the trip had he been “aware then of the eventual Dec. 26th province wide shutdown.”He said that while abroad he has continued to work daily as the Minister of Finance and MPP for Ajax and has participated in “dozens of digital ministry, constituency and cabinet committee calls and meetings.
Phillips has also been active on social media in recent weeks. On Dec. 24 he took to Twitter to thank healthcare workers, writing “as we all make sacrifices this Christmas, remember that some of our fellow citizens won't even be home for Christmas dinner over Zoom.” Phillips office has so far refused to say whether the finance minister has returned to Canada but in his statement, he did say that he will “continue to observe public health directives, including the 14-day quarantine.”
W.T.F
Covid PM
You made a big mistake resign
You can leave, just follow rules upon return, but the optics do no look good.
Resign or be fired!! Get on it Doug! Elitism from Cabinet and MPP un acceptable. Good bye!
Ford should fire him
You should be forced to resign and pay a huge fine. You thinking the Covid-19 restrictions don’t apply to you shows such a lack of respect for every Ontario Resident. Your staff tweets of you appearing to be in Ontario while out of the country is so deceptive & disgusting !
Politicians think they're SPECIAL, above the common people who elect them. Like FRUMP in the south! Your germs kill too. Masks & isolation is only for joe blow!
And ? ...
Lol the airport’s are open people are travelling
Shame...we haven't gone anywhere...but grocery shopping once a week...geesh...Do as I say not as I do...👎
😂their all such Hippocrates.
Any consequences? Just contempt of his fellow citizens.
Someone regrets getting caught :)
Resign
Step down. What a poor example for Canadians trying to stay home and stay safe .... did he actually think he would be able to travel to the Caribbean and not be noticed? Fire him.
fire
to venture out only
Not shocked at all
Do I think it's right no..optics on this are terrible..however if I wanted to I could book a vacation and leave tomorrow for Mexico or wherever and it's allowed no different than anyone else right now just when I come back would have quarantine for 14 days same as him...
We the people should flood Fords office with calls to have him fired !
You should be fired and be kicked out of office for travelling during COVID.. take away his pension too ... politicians are not above anyone!!!
I can’t even see my elderly mom at Christmas! He disgusts me!
It's funny how the government wants people to stay home and yet they don't practice what they preach!!! Ford tells people do not go to your cottage but it's ok for him to go to his for the weekend!!!!!
fordnation how do you expect Ontarians to follow the rules when you can't even get politicians to? Planned vacation I thought vacations were deeply frowned upon since March 2020? MAPS having gatherings and not caring?
Bunch of hypocrites!!
Bad karma will come his way?
WOW!
Fire the guy. Again government people saying 'do as I say not as I do'. I say fire him, he is supposed to be leading by example if he is an elected official.
Next hypocrites like RodPhillips01 and fordnation will be jumping the queue for vaccination before health care workers and LTC residents...just wait for it
Somebody should have told him he’s supposed to stay home during a pandemic. Oh ya government employees don’t count I guess
Same old same old one rule for them another for us Same as Ford giving himself an exemption during first wave to check on his cottage while admonishing everyone else to stay away I’m sure our reasons for violating rules are equally valid to us but we would still get charged
Do as I say, not as I do
Ppl in Ontario are flying to Cuba, Mexico, etc. As long as you have air travel you will have ppl flying. The only thing they have to do is quarantine when they come back. Take away their benefits, that might make them stop!
FORD MUST FIRE ROD PHILIPS and SAM OSTERHOFF !!! Otherwise everyone will be Doing the SAME !!! YOU must take Action NOW !!! HOW ARROGANT of them & You to allow this !!!
Cancellation Insurance next time?
Wow tell use not to travel but it's ok fore the government
Par for the course. In 2020 Politicians have been particularly slimy. Dishonest, self-serving crooks, the bunch of them. No honest person who wanted to be in service to others would ever put there name forward.
The excuse that he didn't know about the upcoming lockdown is a crock...the warning had been out there for a long time. He should be charged!
Last month, Sam Oosterhof was proclaimed Marie-Antoinette of the Cabinet. Now the Exalted Leader has launched an indelicate-naming contest for Phillips.
Let's hope, he or better yet his family come down with this disease, and sufter! That would be appropriate payback!
I don’t see the problem after watching Canada’s MSM we live on the scariest Covid place on earth get well the getting is good.
Ow_My_Back_ Wow.
Great example set by a high ranking MPP...total BS.
Do as I say not as I do- typical
he should resign as of Jan 1st 2021
This is why ..people are fed up and won’t comply ...and why should they when the government brass thumb their nose At the rules ....🤬
I’m I shocked by this ? NO government has no issue telling citizens what to do but they ( government officials) do what they want ! Shame on us for thinking they have our best interest at heart !
He is in violation of the measure set out by the Government. He should be fined, fired and thrown to the curb like the rest of us would be.
Fucking scalp him
Disgraceful
Looks like he has been gone since the weekend of Dec. 11/12 and he isn't back yet? How come it took reporters this long to mention this? What country is he in?
Do as I say not as I do. Eh government! Hypocrites!
Once again these politicians make the rules but don't follow them. He is a Hypocrite and a liar. Do some DOUG FORD
I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this
Tone deaf - absolutely tone deaf.
It's getting to the point where the people abiding to the restrictions are sick and tired of watching people like this. Eventually they will give up and start living normally
There are rules for the fordnation government and then there are rules for us peons.
And the airports are all empty right now.....why would care...if all of the commentators on this thread had a chance to go on a trip my money would be on 99% would go...
We need to be so greatfull to CTV for bringing us these important news reports.
Do as I say - not as I do. Farcical leadership.
Last month, Sam Oosterhof was proclaimed Marie-Antoinette of the Cabinet. Now there is a naming contest for the Minister of Finance.
It’s the do as I say, not as I do bs. The rules don’t apply to government personnel. If you guys don’t take it seriously..? Why the hell are the people? Lead by fucking example!!!!
Government: the rules only apply to the peasants and not to us.
Tone deaf
These are the officials you hypochondriacs are blindly following. Please continue to enjoy the misery of hiding in your basement.
I wonder why people don’t trust anything governments tell us?
These people think they are above the law! Dole it out to us little guys....should be charged and tossed on his ass. No severance, no pension but a hefty fine. FORD, put your money where your mouth is and dump this guy.
Ford cant even keep his own admin team in line
You seem to have left out the facts that something isn’t right with his statement and that Rod failed to do his 14 day quarantine
Disgraced 3 x ethics violator Bill_Morneau & his wife caught on video bordering a flight at Peirson airport = no MSM coverage.
Then he should resign
This is crazy so it’s ok for him to leave the country with his wife but it’s not ok for the other people shame on you this is a bunch of BS
Why not, they know this Covid thing is all a scam !! It's just the blind fearful sheep who believe the dumbfoolery!
How did he think that this was a good idea? Millions of us canceled our trips this year even though it meant constant battles with airlines over refunds. We didn't see our families at Christmas time! And he does this?!? What an asshole!
This is what happens we elect incompetent government in all levels. Not one of them did anything good for this pandemic. They are all equally useless.
Just another reason a significant and growing portion of the population doesn't take any of this seriously Our federal and provincial governments treat it like a damn joke.and the bought and paid for media runs interference for them.
And parts of the province were already locked down...
If the personal trip was to say goodbye to his mother who was dying in another country ok. If it was to hang out on a beach and drink cocktails he needs to resign.
The most “do as I say, not as I do “ government.
'Surge'
Like we should be surprised anymore.... this government has said one thing and done another since the beginning of this pandemic. They're finished politically.