On January 1, 2020, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney told reporters that he did not know that now-former Municipal Affairs Minister Tracey Allard had travelled to Hawaii on vacation, despite their government’s own non-essential travel restrictions..But an official memorandum now shows Kenney was made aware of Allard’s absence..In Allard’s memo personally addressed to Kenney, she advises the premier she will be away on personal time, however she does not specify where..“Pleased be advised that I will be on personal time, December 19, 2020, until January 10, 2021, inclusive,” the memo reads..In his January 1, 2021 press conference, Kenney told reporters that “this past Tuesday [December 29, 2020] afternoon I became aware that Minister of Municipal Affairs Tracey Allard had travelled to the United States [Hawaii] before Christmas.”.The memo alerting Kenney to Allard’s personal time was dated December 16, 2020, 13 days before he said he became aware of her travels..Kenney said during the press conference that he was in regular contact with Allard while she was in Hawaii, but made no mention if her global whereabouts was ever brought up..“I was on calls and participated in virtual cabinet committee meetings in recent days in which she was an active participant.”. Allard-Kenney MemoMemo from Allard to Kenney .Kenney’s now-former Chief of Staff Jamie Huckabay was copied on the letter, however it is unknown if he was already travelling in the U.K. at the time, despite the government’s own non-essential travel restrictions..Kenney’s firm denial of any knowledge of both Allard and Huckabay being out of the country on vacation has come under significant scrutiny from former ministers and MLAs, who say that it is highly unlikely that any minister – and especially a premier – would be unaware of their chief of staff being out of the country for an extended period of time..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com
