The CEO of Niagara Health and St. Joseph’s Health System has resigned from Ontario’s COVID-19 command table after it was revealed he travelled to the Caribbean over the holidays.
Dr. Tom Stewart was on vacation from Dec. 18 to Jan. 5, says a statement from St. Joseph’s Health System.
In that time, he travelled to the Dominican Republic despite public health guidelines urging Ontarians to stay home.
BREAKING The CEO of @SJHealthSystem and @niagarahealth and member of Ontario’s #COVID19 science advisory table vacationed in the Dominican Republic over the holidays. In a statement Dr. Tom Stewart says “I regret this non-essential travel and I’m sorry” MORE ON @CHCHNews at 11 pic.twitter.com/elFqXc4WXr
— Matt Ingram (@MattIngramNEWS) January 6, 2021
“I regret this non-essential travel and I’m sorry,” said Stewart. “I recognize everyone should be avoiding non-essential travel now, including me.”
He will be self-isolating at home for two weeks.
Stewart has resigned from various provincial advisory committees, including the Health Coordination Table, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table and the LTC Incident Management System Table.
Ontario’s deputy minister of health issued a statement accepting his resignation.
“The people of Ontario have made countless sacrifices during the pandemic and it remains critically important that everyone continues to follow public health advice,” said Helen Angus.
“We all have a part to play to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Stewart is the latest politician to be caught travelling outside the country around the holidays, despite public health advising Ontarians stay home.
David Sweet, Conservative MP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, resigned as chair of the House of Commons ethics committee after travelling to the U.S. over the holidays.
Rob Phillips resigned from his role as Ontario finance minister after travelling to St. Barts.
