Although he wouldn’t confirm or deny, People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier said there’s a “huge possibility” he’ll run in Manitoba’s Portage-Lisgar byelection..Portage-Lisgar is one of five federal ridings where byelections must be held.."There are some rumours in Ottawa that the prime minister might call these five by-elections this weekend,” said Bernier, who will make an announcement in Portage Friday..“We may be in election time in Portage starting Monday.”.“So that’s why Friday is an important day for me to do the announcement. If not, our candidate will be ready.”.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has until late August to announce a by-election date for Portage-Lisgar..It is being held because Conservative MP Candice Bergen, who served the riding since 2008 and was interim party leader last year, isn’t seeking re-election. .Bernier, 60, has said he was also considering running in Timmins-James Bay, Ontario. The seat is now held by NDP Charlie Angus who won by a slim margin in the 2021 race. .But the PPC captured 22% of the Portage-Lisgar vote in that election, faring better than both the NDP and Liberal candidates. Bergen captured 55.5% of the vote..“So my people are asking me ‘Why are you not personally running there?’”.“That can be an advantage for me to try to be back in the house as soon as possible,” said the former Conservative cabinet minister in Stephen Harper’s government. .With the party nine years, Bernier left in 2018 after finishing a close second to Andrew Scheer in the leadership race, and founded the PPC..Bernier ran and lost to a Conservative candidate in Beauce, Que. in 2019 and again in 2021..He would run against Conservative candidate Branden Leslie in Portage-Lisgar..“I said after the general election in 2021 I won’t run in my former riding in Beauce in the next election.”.“At that time we didn’t know Portage would have a by-election.”.The riding has a large francophone population..“We will have great candidates in all of these by-elections. I think we have a nice opportunity and a strong message.”.“I can tell you that I believe that people in Portage, they will have an opportunity to make history,” he said..“My goal is to do the best for our party. I’m there for the long run.”.“It took 28 years for the Green Party to have their first candidate Elizabeth May elected in the House. They created the party in 1984. It won’t take 28 years for us.”.Bernie, who strongly opposed COVID-19 mandates, was arrested, handcuffed and jailed in Manitoba in 2021 for breaching public-health orders..At the time he was meeting outdoors with about small group in the southern Manitoba village of St-Pierre-Jolys..When Bernier returned to Manitoba months later, his rallies drew huge crowds..He is scheduled to appear in Winnipeg court on May 16.
