New Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver during Tuesday's update on COVID-19 (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By Canadian Press

"We didn't get it right"

Shandro, McIver not asking for forgiveness of party, vow to win back trust

Jan 5, 2021 | 5:37 PM

EDMONTON – Two Alberta cabinet ministers say they’ve been getting an earful from constituents about their colleagues jetting off to tropical locales contrary to public-health guidelines and that they’re right to be angry.

Premier Jason Kenney announced on social media Monday that municipal affairs minister Tracy Allard had resigned over her trip to Hawaii and that five backbenchers had been stripped of responsibilities over their jaunts to sunny destinations.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the United Conservative government is not asking for forgiveness, but they are asking for patience as he and his UCP caucus attempt to work their way out of this controversy.

“There was over a million Albertans who voted for us because we campaigned on hard work and humility, and some folks from our team forgot about that last part,” added the Health Minister. “It is going to take time to be able to earn back that trust, to earn back that credibility, and to show people that humility is still important for our team.”

Transportation Minister Ric McIver, who is handling Allard’s municipal affairs portfolio on an interim basis, says constituents have been yelling and using hard language and that the government is getting the message.

“I guess the message I would say to Albertans is: you have every right to expect good behavior and a high standard of conduct,” said McIver. “Albertans have said very clearly we have not met those standards.

“Our government agrees,” added McIver. “If you’re yelling at us, interestingly enough, my message is thank you. There is no doubt in our mind we didn’t get it right.”

Shandro says he last left the province over the Labour Day weekend for a trip to British Columbia, while McIver says he travelled to Ontario in November to see his ailing mother.

Meanwhile, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi says he was aware that his chief of staff and an administrative assistant in his office individually travelled to Hawaii during the Christmas break and that he now wishes he had pushed back.