I know there have been some questions and concerns in the broader community with respect to Members of Council travelling out of the country during the holidays. I want to assure residents that I was at home in Pickering, and I will not travel while we continue to battle this pandemic.
That said, I have only recently been made aware that a couple of Councillors did travel outside of Canada over the holidays. While neither I, nor the City of Pickering, have authority over individual Councillors and their personal travel decisions, I did take the opportunity to speak to these individuals today and express my concerns, which are shared by a number of constituents.
While there is nothing legally prohibiting them from travel, I acknowledge that there are heightened expectations for those in elected positions. I am not going to name these Councillors, because I feel the onus is on them to take personal responsibility for their decisions. Namely, they should address the situation in a forthright and timely manner with our residents.
Mayor Dave Ryan
