The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announced the withdrawal of two COVID-19 charges against Peoples' Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier. The charges stemmed from his attendance at a protest against Ontario's Stay-at-Home Order in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 2021.Representatives from the Justice Centre provided legal counsel to Bernier, facilitating the withdrawal of charges on Tuesday, in the Ontario Court of Justice (Provincial Offences Division) at the request of the prosecutor. This decision came after Bernier made a donation to a Niagara Region charity.The protest, which took place on April 17, 2021, saw Bernier participating alongside approximately 500 individuals at the Clifton Hill War Memorial in Niagara Falls.. Subsequently, he moved to the Oakes Garden Theatre, where he addressed the crowd alongside other speakers. Charges against Bernier included failing to comply with the Stay-at-Home Order and failing to comply with an order under the Reopening Ontario Act.At the time of the protest, Ontario's Stay-at-Home Order restricted citizens from leaving their residences unless for one of 29 essential purposes as outlined by the provincial government.Bernier, a former cabinet minister under the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, holds a notable political background. He served in ministerial positions in Industry, Foreign Affairs, and State and chaired the National Defence Select Committee from 2009 to 2011. In 2018, he parted ways with the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) to establish the Peoples' Party of Canada.Chris Fleury, lawyer for Bernier, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "With the exception of Randy Hillier’s challenge of the Stay-at-Home Order and our ArriveCAN challenge, this was the last ticket case that we were defending in Ontario. We are slowly putting this shameful period behind us."Former Ontario provincial politician Randy Hillier continues to challenge the Stay-at-Home Order with an ongoing appeal following the loss of his constitutional challenge. His hearing is scheduled at the Ontario Court of Appeal in September.Commenting further, Chris Fleury remarked, "While we would have preferred that no one who attended this protest was charged in the first place, this is an excellent outcome for Mr. Bernier. Ontario’s Stay-at-Home Order was unnecessary, unscientific, and ultimately harmful. It is encouraging that prosecutions of this nature are finally coming to a close."
