EDMONTON —
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says he will not self-discipline members of his authorities and workers for travelling overseas over the vacations in contravention of public well being recommendation.
Kenney made the remarks in a New 12 months’s Day press convention after revelations that MLA Pat Rehn travelled to Mexico and Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard travelled to Hawaii.
Pictures have additionally surfaced of two training ministry press secretaries apparently vacationing in Hawaii.
And, Kenney confirmed the his chief of workers, Jamie Huckabay, travelled the UK and returned by way of america.
Regardless of calling the worldwide journeys “a big error in judgement” Kenney says he won’t self-discipline any of those that travelled.
“I do not suppose it is affordable for me as a frontrunner to sanction individuals who very rigorously adopted the general public well being orders and the authorized necessities,” stated Kenney.
The premier claimed he did not know Allard was away on the time and has since requested her to return.
“I feel they made a mistake.”
“She ought to have stayed right here for apparent causes,” Kenney stated of Allard.
Allard spoke within the legislature on Nov. 2, calling on Albertans to take collective responsiblity to cease the unfold of COVID-19.
“We should steadiness our particular person freedoms with the larger good, and I urge Albertans at the moment to weigh this of their choices as we face the fact of COVID collectively,” she stated.
Kenney says he ought to have made it clearer to his workers and UCP elected officers that they should not journey internationally.
“I am not pleased with this, however I’ve to take accountability that I wasn’t completely clear,” he stated. “We won’t settle for the oldsters in senior positions of management … travelling overseas.”
“Individuals are proper to be pissed off with that.”
Kenney stated he has since issued a directive ordering workers to not journey overseas.
He declined to immediately reply when requested to call authorities MLAs who travelled internationallly throughout the holidays.
Each the federal and Alberta governments have repeatedly suggested all Canadians towards non-essential worldwide journey.
Albertans have been urged by provincial well being officers to have a good time the vacation season safely and to remain dwelling at any time when attainable.
