Ontario Minister Quits After Being Caught On Sneaky Caribbean Vacation

Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips resigned on Thursday after being caught out traveling to the Caribbean for a vacation despite a coronavirus lockdown. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had ordered Phillips to come home when the sneaky vacation became news. On Thursday, Ford said: “At a time when the people of Ontario have sacrificed so much, today’s resignation is a demonstration that our government takes seriously our obligation to hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

Phillips left for St. Barts on Dec. 13 but released a Christmas Eve video showing him in a turtleneck sweater by a fireplace, thanking constituents for their sacrifices in staying home. He also tweeted an old photo that made it seem like he had attended a local event. Phillips told a reporter who stopped him at the airport on his way back to Ontario that he made a “dumb, dumb mistake.” He will keep his position as an elected representative for Ajax but will lose his ministerial position and take a $50,000 pay cut.