Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips resigns over secret Caribbean vacation, Ford says
Rod Phillips has been ousted as Ontario finance minister after flouting provincial guidelines to go on a Caribbean holiday over the Christmas break.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Premier Doug Ford said he had accepted Phillips' resignation after speaking to the Ajax MPP, who hours earlier returned from a vacation with his wife to the tropical island of St. Barts.
At a time when the people of Ontario have sacrificed so much, today's resignation is a demonstration that our government takes seriously our obligation to hold ourselves to a higher standard," Ford said.
The premier said he had asked Treasury Board President Peter Bethlenfalvy to take over as finance minister and deliver the province's 2021 budget.
This appointment will help ensure economic stability in the months ahead, as we support Ontario families, workers and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we chart our path to long-term economic recovery," the premier said.
Phillips will remain in the Ontario PC caucus as a member of provincial parliament.
News of the trip, which Phillips left for on Dec. 13 as his government lectured Ontarians about the need to stay home to fight the pandemic, had provoked outrage from the public and opposition figures since it became public Tuesday.
In a statement Thursday, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, who earlier this week called on the premier to fire Phillips, said the minister's resignation didn't absolve the government.
Doug Ford knew about Rod Phillips' trip to St. Barts two weeks ago. Not only did Ford not fire him then, he helped him keep the trip a secret. Phillips' resignation from cabinet today is not because of Phillips' vacation, it's because they got caught," Horwath said.
Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, said in statement that Phillips did the right thing by resigning."
But I'm sad and angry that this is the headline" at a time when the province hit a one-day record of new COVID-19 cases, hospitals are overflowing," and long-term-care residents are facing a humanitarian crisis," he said.
Speaking to reporters after disembarking at Pearson Airport Thursday morning, Phillips said he had made a dumb, dumb mistake" but said he hadn't offered the premier to step down.
I know that people are understandably angry about the situation, and I do hope to be able to regain their confidence in the days and weeks and months ahead," he said, while acknowledging it's up to the premier to decide who serves in cabinet.
After Ford announced he was out as minister, Phillips released a statement saying he had submitted his resignation.
Travelling over the holidays was the wrong decision, and I once again offer my unreserved apology," he said.
Phillips said he wished Bethlenfalvy well and looked forward to continuing to serve his constituents as MPP.
Ensuring Ontario emerges from COVID-19 in a strong position was my priority as the Minister of Finance, and it should be the government's priority going forward," he said.
Phillips went straight from Pearson airport to his condo in Ajax, where he will quarantine for the next two weeks as required for international travellers.
Sources told the Star that Ford had been feeling pressure from caucus and cabinet members who were angry to learn about Phillips' trip and concerned it could undermine the province's pandemic efforts.
They felt strongly that he had to go and told the premier so, sources said.
Ford's office said Tuesday that Phillips hadn't told the premier about his vacation before he left, and Ford said in a statement he had asked the minister to return immediately."
On Wednesday, Ford clarified that he spoke to Phillips shortly after" he arrived in the Caribbean two weeks ago and regretted not ordering him at that time to come back.
With files from Kris Rushowy
Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr