More than a dozen Canadian politicians have travelled abroad despite advice to stay home

Several politicians have admitted to leaving the country over the December holiday period, even as constituents hunkered down, following public health guidance meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Here are some of the lawmakers who took trips abroad, despite public health appeals to avoid non-essential travel.

FEDERAL

Niki Ashton

The federal New Democrats stripped the veteran member of Parliament of her cabinet critic positions after she travelled to Greece to visit her seriously ill grandmother.

The party released a statement on Jan. 1 saying Greek officials, who currently only permit visitors to enter the country if they can prove their trip is essential, approved Ashton’s visit.

Kamal Khera

The federal Liberal MP announced Sunday she was stepping down from her role as parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development after travelling to

Seattle over the holidays.

Don Plett

The Conservative leader in the Senate took a personal trip to Mexico shortly after Christmas, even though party Leader Erin O’Toole asked all caucus members to refrain from international holiday travel.

Whether Plett will face any penalty for travelling briefly to Mexico remains to be seen. His fate rests with his fellow Conservative senators, who elect their Senate leader.

David Sweet

Conservative MP David Sweet resigned as chair of the House of Commons ethics committee after travelling to the U.S. over the holidays.

The office of Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said Monday that Sweet was one of two Tory MPs who were given approval by the party’s whip to undertake “essential travel” to the United States.

The Hamilton-area Flamborough-Glanbrook MP travelled for a “property issue.” But O’Toole’s office said Sweet then decided to stay “for leisure” without informing the whip.

Sameer Zuberi

The Montreal-based Liberal member of Parliament announced Sunday that he would step down from his committee roles after travelling to Delaware to be with his wife’s ill grandfather.

ALBERTA

Tracy Allard

A Hawaiian vacation from Alberta’s municipal affairs minister touched off not only a new directive from the province’s premier, but a spate of other revelations about holiday excursions by several of her cohorts in the UCP government.

Shortly after Allard’s trip came to light, Premier Jason Kenney issued a directive summoning caucus members and senior staff back to the province.

Allard held a New Year’s Day news conference in which she apologized for taking the trip, describing the Hawaiian vacation as a long-standing family tradition. In a Facebook post Monday, Kenney said he accepted her resignation.

Kenney initially said Allard and other party members who went abroad would not face sanctions as they did not violate any firm rules. But on Monday, he cracked down on members of his government’s caucus and on staff who travelled out of the country during the holidays.

He said he also asked his chief of staff, Jamie Huckabay, to step down after a trip to the United Kingdom last month.

Tanya Fir

The MLA apologized on social media after it was revealed she travelled to the U.S. to visit her sister.

The representative for the riding of Calgary-Peigan is one of three MLAs who lost their legislature committee responsibilities Monday.

Jeremy Nixon

The MLA for the riding of Calgary-Klein also opted to jet off to Hawaii over Christmas.

Nixon said in a Facebook post that he’d “work hard” to regain constituents’ trust. He lost his position as parliamentary secretary for civil society Monday.

Pat Rehn

The MLA for Lesser Slave Lake spent part of the weekend returning from a “previously planned family trip” to Mexico.

He, too, apologized via Facebook and lost his legislature committee responsibilities.

Jason Stephan

The MLA for Red Deer-South struck a different tone in his Facebook post in which he disclosed a recent trip to Phoenix.

Stephan said he felt he was in compliance with guidelines and noted he never asked other provincial residents to forego travel.

But Stephan said he would return home in accordance with Kenney’s directive.

The premier said Monday he accepted Stephan’s resignation from the Treasury Board.

Tany Yao

The MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo was also vacationing in Mexico.

He has lost his spot Monday on the legislature committee.

ONTARIO

Rod Phillips

When Rod Phillips jetted off for a sunny Caribbean vacation on Dec. 13, he touched off a political storm that engulfed him when he returned home.

Phillips resigned as the province’s finance minister on Dec. 31, hours after returning from a two-week trip in St. Barts.

QUEBEC

Pierre Arcand

The former interim head of Quebec’s Liberal party expressed regret last month over his decision to vacation in Barbados with his wife.

Arcand apologized for making the trip on Dec. 29.

Youri Chassin

The member of the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec is currently in Peru visiting his husband, who he said he has not seen in about a year.

Chassin said in an interview that his trip is not a vacation and that he does not believe it contradicts the Quebec government’s message of the need to follow public health guidelines.

SASKATCHEWAN

Joe Hargrave

Saskatchewan’s highways minister resigned Monday after he travelled to California in late December to sell a vacation home and move back his belongings.