UCP JET- SETTERS' TRAVEL LIST

As provincial public-health restrictions meant to stem the tide of COVID-19 infections banned inter-household social gatherings over the holiday season, some senior government officials packed their bags and headed to the beach.

To date, nine senior government officials in Alberta have been confirmed to have travelled abroad in December. All are affiliated with the United Conservative Party. Alberta NDP Opposition Leader Rachel

Notley has claimed all 24 members of her caucus remained in Canada for the holidays.

Here is a list of all senior government officials who spurned the official advisory against non-essential travel and headed for warmer climates in recent weeks.

TRACY ALLARD

Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs Tracy Allard travelled to Hawaii on Dec. 19 and returned New Year's

Eve, Premier Jason Kenney confirmed Thursday. The premier said he learned of the trip Tuesday and immediately ordered Allard to return home.

In a news conference Friday, Allard said her family has gathered in Hawaii annually for most of the past 17 years, this year limiting the trip to only her household members.

TANYA FIR

Calgary-peigan MLA Tanya Fir travelled to Las Vegas to visit her sister in December, the province confirmed late Friday. In a public Facebook post, Fir “sincerely apologize(d) for this situation wholeheartedly.”

JEREMY NIXON

Provincial officials also confirmed Friday that Calgary-klein MLA Jeremy Nixon travelled to Hawaii in December.

Nixon remained there as of Friday night and had been instructed to return home on the earliest available flight, according to Christine Myatt, press secretary for Kenney.

PAT REHN

Pat Rehn, a backbencher MLA representing Lesser Slave Lake, posted a photo on his public Facebook page Dec. 24 that appeared to be taken in Mexico.

Rehn posted an apology on Facebook on Saturday afternoon for taking what he called a “previously planned family trip.”

JASON STEPHAN

The province confirmed Saturday afternoon that Red Deer-south

MLA Jason Stephan had travelled to Arizona.

On his Facebook page, Stephan posted an explanation of when and where he had travelled, although he did not apologize for his actions.

TANY YAO

Fort Mcmurray-wood Buffalo MLA Tany Yao was in Mexico as of Sunday evening, a discovery that seemed to come as a surprise, even to the province.

“We understand that MLA Yao is currently in Mexico. We are attempting to contact him to advise him to return as per the premier's directive,” said Timothy Gerwing, director of communications for the UCP caucus.

JAMIE HUCKABAY

The premier confirmed Friday that his chief of staff, Jamie Huckabay, had travelled to the U.K. with his family.

Huckabay, a top Kenney aide, returned through the U.S. on Boxing Day after a new, more infectious variant of COVID-19 emerged in the U.K.

MICHAEL FORIAN and ELIZA SNIDER

Two UCP government press secretaries were pictured together on a Hawaii beach in a social media post in late December.

Michael Forian, press secretary for Alberta's education minister, posted a photo to Instagram of himself on a beach with his arm around Eliza Snider, press secretary for the province's minister of advanced education.