City council during Monday's regular meeting. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Holiday Travel

City councillors stayed home over holidays, says mayor

Jan 4, 2021 | 10:18 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat Mayor Ted Clugston is adding his voice to the numerous expressions of disappointment with the decision of UCP MLAs vacationing internationally despite provincial recommendations against non-essential travel.

And he says city councillors heeded those recommendations.

“I have personal knowledge that nobody on city council has left the country in quite a long time,” said Clugston.

The mayor says residents are angry at the actions of the six known UCP MLAs who travelled to holiday hot spots such as Hawaii, Mexico and Arizona.

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“This crosses party lines,” said Clugston. “UCP members are mad. NDP are mad. Liberal people are mad at what’s occurred.”

Clugston says those who are making the rules need to lead by example. He added that while Medicine Hat city council isn’t making those rules, they took the decision to do just that by staying home over the holidays.

Asked whether the travel scandal will have an impact on people following public health restrictions, Clugston responded, “yeah. . .Words mean nothing, actions mean everything.”

He added the wellspring of anger among Albertans being voiced is likely to back up the legislative agenda of the government for weeks to come.

“When you have these other things, it’s impossible to get anything else done,” said Clugston.

All councillors were present at Monday’s council meeting except for Coun. Julie Friesen whose absence Clugston says was unrelated to international travel.