Quebec Liberal member Pierre Arcand has been removed from his shadow cabinet positions in the national assembly after vacationing in Barbados while the COVID-19 pandemic surged in the province.
In a statement issued Monday, the party said he will “no longer” be the official opposition’s critic for transportation.
The Mont-Royal–Outremont MNA has also been stripped of his position to represent the Quebec Liberals on Montreal issues.
“These functions will be reassigned later,” the party said.
READ MORE: Quebec Liberal vacationing in Barbados during COVID-19 crisis called home by party leader
The move comes a few days after it was revealed that Arcand was vacationing down south with his wife despite pleas from the federal and provincial governments to avoid non-essential travel and travel out of the country.
Arcand, for his part, said he regretted his decision and that he underwent two coronavirus tests, for which he tested negative.
In a statement on Dec. 29, he also pledged to “scrupulously” respect the 14-day self-isolation period required by the federal government for travellers who return to the country from abroad.
After his vacation came to light, he was ordered home by the party’s leader.
A spokesperson for Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said Monday she would not comment on the decision to remove Arcand from her shadow cabinet.
— With files from Global News’ Raquel Fletcher and The Canadian Press