`It was a significant error in judgment': Kenney says

Premier chides minister who took trip, tells civil servants and staff to stay home

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says he won't be issuing sanctions to senior government officials for travelling outside of the country.

Kenney said during a Friday news conference that he became aware that Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard had left the country on Tuesday and immediately asked her to return.

Kenney said she went on the trip before Christmas on Dec. 19 and returned on Thursday. The premier also confirmed that his chief of staff, Jamie Huckabay, had travelled to the United Kingdom and returned to Canada via the United States.

Postmedia also confirmed Friday night Calgary-peigan MLA Tanya Fir and Calgary-klein MLA Jeremy Nixon each travelled abroad in December.

Kenney apologized for not being clearer with senior government officials about travelling abroad but stopped short of taking any disciplinary action.

“I think it was a significant error in judgment,” he said. “I am not happy that people chose to travel abroad, people who are in positions of public trust. There's a reasonable public expectation that we will be held to a higher standard than simply complying with the rules. People are right to be frustrated by that.”

The Alberta government advises against non-essential travel outside of Canada, aligning with a federal advisory. Those who leave the country are required to isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms upon their arrival back home.

Kenney said he doesn't believe it is reasonable for him to issue sanctions to people who still followed public health orders and the legal requirements to safely travel.

He said he's issued a clear directive to all public servants, cabinet ministers, UCP MLAS, political staff and senior executives in public service not to leave the country for the foreseeable future unless it is absolutely required for government-related business.

“I believe these individuals acted in what they believe to be good faith, have complied with the legal requirements, including the COVID-19 public health orders,” he said. “For those of us in leadership, I acknowledge that is not good enough. We should be here at home, plain and simple.”

At a separate news conference, Allard apologized to Albertans and her Grande Prairie constituents for what she called a “lapse in judgment.”

Allard said her family has gathered in Hawaii for most of the past 17 years, but this year limited the trip to only her household members. While she said it's not formal practice to get permission for a personal trip, there is a form submission process when ministers are planning to be away from the office, and Transportation Minister Ric Mciver was assigned to act as substitute in Allard's absence.

“My commitment to my constituents and to the service of all Albertans remains unchanged, and I can only hope to earn their forgiveness and their trust going forward,” she said.

On Friday, NDP Opposition leader Rachel Notley said Kenney has shown a profound failure in leadership and again called on Allard to resign as minister and step down as vice-chairwoman of the emergency management cabinet committee.

“Jason Kenney owes it to Albertans to reveal each and every member of his caucus who chose to leave the country after Dec. 12,” she said. “It is a betrayal of trust that this government must have with their constituents in the middle of a pandemic.”

Notley said Kenney was dishonest to suggest that Allard didn't play a larger role as vice-chairwoman of the emergency management cabinet committee. She said all NDP MLAS are in the country and need to speak with the party whip before travelling abroad.

Duane Bratt, political science professor at Mount Royal University, said Friday Kenney's reaction united Albertans in their outrage across the political spectrum.

“People have made sacrifices. Forget about travelling to Mexico or Saskatchewan. People didn't cross the city to visit parents or cousins or brothers. So, if you supported government restrictions, you're livid at this. If you opposed government restrictions, you're also livid at this,” said Bratt.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation's Alberta director Franco Terrazzano said in a statement the incident highlighted the need for recall legislation. “Albertans should always have the right to fire politicians when they misbehave whether they raise taxes in the middle of a pandemic, waste taxpayers' money or fail to follow the advice given to others,” he said.