Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips is making arrangements to return to Canada in response to public criticism for taking a holiday abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the orders of his boss Premier Doug Ford..Ford was quoted saying he was “extremely disappointed in Minister Phillips and his decision to travel abroad. I have let the minister know that his decision to travel is completely unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated again — by him or any member of our cabinet and caucus. I have also told the minister I need him back in the country immediately.”.Ford said public officials must follow health advice regarding COVID-19, like everyone else..Phillips and his wife departed Canada on December 13, following the end of the legislative session. The planned trip began prior to the December 26 province-wide shutdown announced by Ford on December 21..“Had I been aware then of the eventual Dec. 26 provincewide shutdown, we would have canceled the trip,” Phillips said in a statement – noting that he was able to continue working remotely during his trip..“I deeply regret travelling over the holidays. It was a mistake and I apologize,” he said..Phillips said he will begin a 14-day quarantine upon arrival back in Canada..It was also reported Phillips took another trip in August, following which he also self-quarantined, in accordance with federal travel restrictions..Poor optics aside, Phillips didn’t violate any federal or provincial COVID-19 travel restrictions..Deputy chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said she would prefer people not “take a vacation” at this time unless travel is essential..Ford criticized the federal government for not doing enough to protect Ontario from international travellers..“There’s just not enough to protect us from the threats coming in from outside, at our borders…without further action by the federal government at our borders, we remain at extreme risk right now.”.This statement conflicts with his own government’s statistics which show that travel-related COVID-19 cases are rare..“It’s like a tiny, tiny fraction of all the cases that we’re seeing in Ontario,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease physician and member of the Ford government’s vaccine distribution task force. “So, no, it’s not zero, but it certainly is not driving the epidemic in Ontario…. was in the past, but it isn’t right now,” reported CBC News..Early on in the pandemic, infection from international travellers was the primary means of infection nationally. Currently it is approximately 1 per cent of total infections..Canadians are currently not prohibited from travelling outside Canada..But the Government of Canada advises Canadians to “avoid all non-essential travel outside Canada and to avoid all cruise ship travel outside Canada until further notice.”.US Customs and Border Protection indicates 244,244 Canadians have flown to the States since October. .More than five million arrivals into Canada – 80 per cent of all travellers – have been allowed to skip the 14-day quarantine requirement since the borders were closed to non-essential travel in late March..Phillips and his wife will not be adding to that number..Ken Grafton is the Western Standards Ottawa Bureau Chief. He can be reached at kgrafton@westernstandardonline.com
