Canada: seven officials punished for holiday travel despite Covid warnings

Jason Kenney, Alberta's premier, fired chief of staff, accepted municipal affairs minister's resignation and demoted five others

Seven members of Alberta's provincial government have been punished for taking vacations outside Canada despite guidelines urging people to avoid nonessential travel during the pandemic.

Alberta's premier had previously declined to sanction the officials over their holiday trips, but on Monday, Jason Kenney reversed course, announcing he had fired his chief of staff and accepted the resignation of his municipal affairs minister.