Ont. finance minister resigns following vacation to luxury Caribbean resort

Ont. Finance Minister Rod Phillips has resigned after facing criticism for taking a vacation in the Caribbean amid the pandemic.

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80 comments

  1. He came all the way back just to resign,now he will fly back there and finish off the winter,just makes it worse.

    1. @Aunt Ifa It’s still not illegal – he didn’t break any rule or law that would result in a fine. The “no-travel” is merely a recommendation, not an order.

  2. I cant even go to my family’s without getting fined for breaking social distancing but government officials can take vacation to Caribbean resorts? What a joke of democracy and gets to keep his benefits because he is resigning instead of actually being fired.

    1. You are 100% right!!!
      ” What a joke of democracy and gets to keep his benefits because he is resigning instead of actually being fired.”

    2. @Charlie Pryde no it isnt. This a government position giving your resignation doesnt essentially mean your quiting your job he is just stepping down from that position. He could still become minister of finance in the future or other positions of government.

    3. @Charlie Pryde EI is for the poor. He gets his retirement fund. So who cares about EI?

    1. Canadians can govern ourselves. We got to start working as one, rather than waiting for government to do anything.

  3. He is sorry only because he is caught, let me make a bold guess, there is definitely more than just one person who work for ford went abroad for vacation, i hope they are all scared by now, a bunch of hypocrites.

    1. And I wonder how many other civil servants (including teachers) are on vaca in the Caribbean and when they return will isolate for 14 days or not tell anyone and just go back to work. I’m guessing Phillips isn’t alone here. And ALL OF THEM should be publicly named and shamed

    1. Terry Cousineau Phillips also travelled to Switzerland in August. His banking records would be extremely interesting.

    1. Must be nice to resign from a job instead of being FIRED like we all would be.
      Also must be nice to walk into an even higher paying job elsewhere and have a pension larger than a doctor’s salary waiting for him whenever he wants to retire.

  4. How fair is that Ford knew he was going on vacation but Rod is the only one with consequences…something wrong with this picture

    1. Ford is offering Phillips as a sacrificial lamb and hopes that may divert attention from himself……….after all we are all so stupid!

  5. We can’t even see our loved ones in the hospital because of the governments rules and this guy is living his best life, soaking up the sun and drinking beers………… WOW.

  6. This is such an “I’m sorry I got caught” apology. Same with Ford, only taking action when the public is made aware, despite him being aware long ago.

    1. I agree. The only reason he resigned is to protect Premier Homer Simpson image.
      It’s all about votes.
      Only thing his image already looks like a tipped over garbage can in a field ragweed.

  7. Axing his Government Pension would be appropriate. Then he can feel what it’s like to be “ALL IN THIS TOGETHER”.

    1. He’s only been an MP for two years. You need to be an MP for 7 years to get a pension. If Ajax votes him out in 2022 we are free of him … pension and all

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