Hamilton Conservative MP Sweet travelled to U.S. over holidays, resigns from ethics committee

Conservative MP David Sweet has resigned as chair of the House of Commons ethics committee after travelling to the United States over the holidays.

Sweet's resignation Monday followed the revelation that the Conservative leader in the Senate, Don Plett, took a personal trip to Mexico shortly after Christmas.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole asked all caucus members to refrain from international travel over the holidays. But his office said Monday that Sweet and Calgary MP Ron Liepert were given approval by the party's whip to undertake "essential travel" to the United States.

Liepert's travel related to "emergency repair" to property he owns in California.

Sweet, the MP for the Hamilton-area riding of FlamboroughGlanbrook, also travelled to the United States for an unspecified "property issue." But, the leader's office said, Sweet then decided to stay in the U.S. "for leisure" without informing the whip.

Consequently, "Mr. O'Toole has accepted his resignation as committee chair."

In a series of Tweets sent late Monday afternoon Sweet said "I am currently out of the country with my wife having reached this difficult decision, and will be back in Hamilton soon. I have resigned my role as Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy & Ethics and will not be seeking re-election as MP."

Sweet has served in the House of Commons since 2006, and was re-elected three times as MP for the former riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. Sweet has served as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Chair of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, as well as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Sweet was elected by MPs to serve as Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in October of 2020.