What the F***, Rod Phillips!?

If you have teenagers, they may have at one point been interested in the Disney movie 'High School Musical'. One of the songs 'We're All in This Together' states:

We're all in this together 

And it shows 

When we stand 

Hand in hand

The thing is, it turns out that in terms of Covid-19 spread mitigation and winter holidays, in Ontario, we're apparently NOT in this together.

The Ontario government has been saying for the weeks leading up to the holiday break, while announcing that Ontario was going into a full lock-down similar to the one we had back in March and April, that people should not be travelling over the winter break, that people should not be having gatherings or parties over the break. So, many Ontarians hunkered down at home, cancelling travel, or simply not booking travel to warmer climates over the break.  And let's face it - after the year we've had, I don't know anyone who doesn't need a really good vacation. 

Apparently, MPP Rod Phillips agrees. That's why he decided that despite the government telling the citizenry of Ontario not to travel and not to gather in large groups, it was totally fine for him to go to St. Bart's with his wife. 

"At a time when every Ontarian has been asked to make sacrifices, I am extremely disappointed in Minister Phillips and his decision to travel abroad," Ford said.

That sounds so nice, doesn't it? That the Premier, Doug Ford, admonished his minister. Except for just a few things...

Ford knew of Phillips' travel plans. Apparently, so did our mayor - John Tory. 

To add insult to injury, Phillips' staff conducted a ruse that he was still in, not only the province, but the country, by posting pre-recorded videos of Phillips touring small businesses hit hard by the closures during the pandemic. 

So, out-of-work Ontarians, small business owners, forced to shut down their businesses while big box stores remain open (a topic for another post), are making huge sacrifices this holiday season. If they could afford to travel, they didn't. People spent the holidays by waving through windows at their parents in care homes, they had Zoom dinners and Zoom cocktail parties.  

Rod Phillips went to St. Bart's. 

So much for "We're all in this together."

What the F***, Minister Phillips?

(For the record, Phillips resigned as Minister of Finance for the Province of Ontario. But he hasn't resigned as MPP)