City councillor's decision to travel internationally was disappointing and irresponsible: Lisa Helps

Victoria's mayor says a city councillor's decision to travel internationally over the holidays was both disappointing and irresponsible given the sacrifices so many have made because of COVID-19.

Lisa Helps says there can't be two sets of expectations, one for the public and another for elected officials.

Councillor Sharmarke Dubow, who is now in quarantine in Vancouver, tweeted that he made a poor choice to travel to Somalia over the holidays and he apologized to his constituents.

He said he had been planning the trip for years and it was the first time he had returned since fleeing civil war in 1992.

But he concedes he should not have gone.