Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

User AvatarBuild your avatar
Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

Ontario Finance Minister 'Deeply Regrets' Taking A Caribbean Vacation Right Now

He says he's coming home immediately.
Ontario Finance Minister 'Deeply Regrets' Taking A Caribbean Vacation Right Now
cpac | YouTube Zhukovsky | Dreamstime
Contributor

It looks like Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips' tropical vacation is over. 

In a statement sent to Narcity via email, Phillips expressed deep regret for his decision to travel to the Caribbean destination St. Barts amid surging cases and stay-at-home orders in Ontario.

Editor's Choice: The Government Warns That You Could Get Stuck Outside Of Canada If You Leave The Country

I deeply regret travelling over the holidays. It was a mistake and I apologize. Rod Phillips

Phillips left on the vacation on December 13, "following the end of the Legislative Session," he wrote.

"I am making arrangements to return to Ontario immediately and will begin a 14-day quarantine as soon as I arrive,” he concluded.

In a statement made Tuesday evening, Premier Doug Ford said that he was "extremely disappointed" in Phillips' decision to leave the country. 

"I have let the minister know that his decision to travel is completely unacceptable and that it will not be tolerated again, by him or any member of our cabinet and caucus," Ford wrote.

Ford did not specify whether he was made aware of Phillips' decision to leave the country prior to his departure.

OttawaCanadaNewsNews

Explore this list   👀

    • Abby Neufeld
      Abby Neufeld was a writer at Narcity Canada. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Professional Communications at the University of Victoria. Her past work has been published in The Toronto Star, Bitch Media, Canadian Dimension, This Magazine, and more. In 2019, Abby co-founded The New Twenties, an environmentally-focused literary and arts magazine.

    Doug Ford responded to Mark Carney's election win with a giant 'to-do' list for the new PM

    Doug Ford says Ontario is ready to help "unleash" Canada's economy.

    7 of Rob Ford's most shocking quotes from Netflix's doc 'Trainwreck: Mayor Of Mayhem'

    Buckle up, Toronto. 😬

    Minimum wage is going up across Canada soon — but one province is getting left behind

    It could mean a raise of over $1,600 a year! 💸

    This BC small town with charming streets ranked as one of Canada's 'top travel destinations'

    The perfect weekend escape awaits you here.

    This enchanting small town set on a BC island was named among North America's 'most peaceful'

    Sandy beaches, ancient forests and a cozy town — anyone?. 🌲

    Parks Canada is hiring for these high-paying jobs and you can make up to $129,000

    Some positions don't require a university degree!

    Canada's new $2 coin is an actual piece of art featuring blue, yellow and orange hues

    This colourful circulation coin is historic!

    Ontario Trillium Benefit payments for September go out soon — Here's how much you can get

    More government cash is headed to Ontarians next week. 💵

    New data reveals the 'most peaceful' places to live and Canadian towns demolished US ones

    Five Canadian towns were named the most serene on the continent. 🍁

    Canadians say they don't buy these grocery items anymore because prices are too expensive

    "I've cut back on everything."

    This Ontario gem with waterfront towns and beaches is one of Canada's 'best' spots to live

    It has "large" homes "priced much lower" than major Canadian cities.

    Ontario's monthly fall weather forecast reveals when you can expect snow

    Bye bye summer, hello fall! 👋🍁