RED DEER, AB: People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier broke his silence for the first time since a disappointing election at a conference focused on Western independence in Red Deer, Alberta..Speaking to a room of 400 attendees – mostly supportive of independence – he said that he leads the only party willing to give the West a fair new deal..“I want to take away the reasons that may make you want independence,” said Bernier..In an exclusive interview with the Western Standard, Bernier said that he is staying on as leader and is rebuilding the party’s finances, with a $200,000 surplus in the bank..Faced with a large number of his party’s Western supporters shifting their support towards the independence movement, Bernier said that he was there to emphasize his plan to decentralize the federation and win them back to Canada. Pressed on how he plans to appeal to sovereigntists who cannot be won back to federalism, Bernier said that they should still back his party as their best option in the meantime.. Red Deer crowd-BernierFreedom talks conference in Red Deer (source: Western Standard) .“It won’t happen in one year. In between that, you need a party at the federal level that will respect your jurisdiction. If you really believe that this province should be independent, it can’t happen in one day. We are the only party at the federal level that understands and will address your frustration,” he said..Bernier also told the Western Standard that he is eager to try and re-enter the House of Commons in a by-election, quite possibly in Alberta.
RED DEER, AB: People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier broke his silence for the first time since a disappointing election at a conference focused on Western independence in Red Deer, Alberta..Speaking to a room of 400 attendees – mostly supportive of independence – he said that he leads the only party willing to give the West a fair new deal..“I want to take away the reasons that may make you want independence,” said Bernier..In an exclusive interview with the Western Standard, Bernier said that he is staying on as leader and is rebuilding the party’s finances, with a $200,000 surplus in the bank..Faced with a large number of his party’s Western supporters shifting their support towards the independence movement, Bernier said that he was there to emphasize his plan to decentralize the federation and win them back to Canada. Pressed on how he plans to appeal to sovereigntists who cannot be won back to federalism, Bernier said that they should still back his party as their best option in the meantime.. Red Deer crowd-BernierFreedom talks conference in Red Deer (source: Western Standard) .“It won’t happen in one year. In between that, you need a party at the federal level that will respect your jurisdiction. If you really believe that this province should be independent, it can’t happen in one day. We are the only party at the federal level that understands and will address your frustration,” he said..Bernier also told the Western Standard that he is eager to try and re-enter the House of Commons in a by-election, quite possibly in Alberta.
