Rule followers dominate city council: Ottawa politicians stayed home for the holidays

OTTAWA -- Municipal politicians in Ottawa say they remained home for the holidays amid rising COVID-19 cases and a provincewide shutdown starting on Boxing Day.

CTV News Ottawa reached out to city councillors and the mayor to ask about how they spent their holidays, following news of several provincial and federal politicians travelling abroad around Christmas time.

• SEE MORE: Growing list of Canadian politicians caught travelling abroad despite pandemic

Two councillors, Jenna Sudds and Mathieu Fleury, told Newstalk 580 CFRA on Saturday that they remained in Ottawa for the holidays.

In responses to CTV News Ottawa, the 21 other city councillors all said they did not travel outside of the country during the holidays, opting to spend Christmas and New Year's with their households. 

Mayor Jim Watson also told CTV News he remained in Ottawa this Christmas.

The news about politicians leaving the country during the holidays has led to some high-profile resignations, including Rod Phillips stepping down as Ontario finance minister and some government officials in Alberta.

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  Neighbours and friends Valerie Gapp, top right, and Lani Sommers, bottom right, play a game of virtual charades with their families, both in Ottawa, seen through a video call on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020. Both families would normally spend the holiday hosting parties with neighbours or visiting with family from out of town. "It's different this year but I do like getting to spend more time with my own children and starting new traditions, like our cross-Canada bingo planned for New Year's Eve. Different doesn't have to be bad; we always find a way to have fun and be together, even when we have to be physically apart," said Sommers. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)