Thought of the Day - January 4 - How COVID Changed Politics

With the public looking for leadership, with public purse strings wide open, and with a moving playing field, the correct policy, political spin and handing of the crisis created opportunities for some and failure for others in 2020.

The press' vitriol of Trumps handling of the Coronavirus is in stark contrast to China's Xi Jinping, who quashed the virus and will thus take over as the world's largest economy several years earlier than forecast.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in Ethiopia, committed to democratic reforms back in 2018, but the postponement of the 2020 elections was the trigger that has plunged the country back into civil war. Yet here in Canada provincial governments in NB and BC, that took a chance and called an early election during COVID to be rewarded with incumbent majorities.

But that is not really the story of this article, rather it is about the "Do As I Say, Not As I Do" politicians who left the country, many to enjoy a holiday respite. Despite high profile exits in 2020, such as Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, some of these holiday-season antics really take the cake.

In the Provinces:

• Ontario's Finance Minister not only went to a Caribbean vacation, he had the gall to stage a holiday cheer message to his constituents intended to illustrate he was still in Canada;

• In Alberta, at least eight UCP members have been found outside the country for the holidays, including the Municipal Affairs minister;

• The Saskatchewan Highways Minister headed to Palm Springs;

• Quebec MNAs went to Barbados and to Peru.

And at the Federal level:

• Brampton West MP, who also had the honour of being the first federal politician in Canada to test positive for COVID 19 back in March, stepped down as parliamentary secretary after travelling to the US for a memorial;

• A Montreal MP stepped down from multiple parliamentary committee roles due to travelling abroad;

• A Manitoba MP lost her cabinet critic seat after travelling to Greece;

• A Calgary MP travelled to California earlier in the year;

• Three other Quebec MPs were also found to have travelled outside of the country back in the summer and fall.

On the bright side we have not heard of any BC's politicians not following "Practice what you preach". But of course there is little reason to leave "The Best Place on Earth" in the first place.

Cheers

Cliff