Sign up for the paNOW newsletter
(file photo/paNOW Staff)
errors of judgment

NDP suggests P.A. MLA lied about Palm Springs trip

Jan 4, 2021 | 12:53 PM

The opposition New Democrats are accusing Prince Albert Carlton MLA and Minister of Highways, Joe Hargrave, of lying about the reasons for his admittedly misjudged trip to California last month.

Hargrave has apologized for the visit during the COVID restrictions he says he took as an essential business trip to finalize the sale of his holiday home in Palm Springs. He said he will return this week and has called his trip “an error of judgment,” a characterization Premier Scott Moe said he agreed with.

Moe was made aware of the trip beforehand.

But NDP ethics critic Matt Love said real estate listings show Hargrave only put his property on the market Dec. 26, four days after he travelled and is suggesting Hargrave is simply making an excuse for ignoring COVID travel rules and taking a Christmas holiday in the sun.

“Anyone who owns a house knows there’s a big difference between finalizing a sale and listing it,” Love said in a media release Monday. “Why did the minister feel the need to lie about this? Was he just trying to make his flimsy excuse for ignoring the rules sound better when really all he wanted was a sunny Christmas vacation by the golf course and pool in his gated community?

“Every person in Saskatchewan has had their personal or professional life affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Love added. “People have cancelled vacations and business trips, missed visiting sick and dying relatives and generally put many aspects of their life on hold. Scott Moe and his ministers seem to think they are too important to do the same.”

Love is also citing reports that Corrections Minister Christine Tell took a trip to Palm Springs in November to visit a sick relative.

“Everyone has sympathy for those who have friends and family who are sick that they can’t see,” Love said. “What we’re asking is why Sask. Party Government Ministers think rules and directives don’t apply to them? Why are they telling regular people to do one thing and then doing another themselves?”

paNOW has requested further comment from the premier’s office.

Alberta MLAs punished for COVID travel

Meanwhile the hammer has dropped on members of the Alberta government caucus and staff who recently travelled abroad during the COVID-19 crisis.

Premier Jason Kenney, in a Facebook post, says he has accepted the resignation of Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard and he has asked his chief of staff Jamie Huckabay to step down.

Other backbench members of his United Conservative caucus who travelled to sunnier climes over the holidays have been stripped of responsibilities. Jeremy Nixon is no longer parliamentary secretary for civil society and Jason Stephan is out at Treasury Board.

Tanya Fir, Pat Rehn and Tany Yao have also lost their legislature committee responsibilities.

Kenney says he has listened to anger from the public in recent days and acted

With files from The Canadian Press

This story was amended to include reference to actions taken by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney regarding MLAs and staff who had travelled during the COVID crisis.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

View Comments