Could the province in which Maxime Bernier was handcuffed, arrested, and hauled off to sit in the slammer be the one that also sends him to sit as an MP in Parliament?.The irony would be deliciously profound..Running in Manitoba is becoming increasingly appealing to the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader. He’s ambitiously eyeing the seat held 14 years by the popular Candice Bergen, former interim Conservative leader..But Bergen isn’t running again. And, ironically, Bernier’s arrest for violating COVID-19 health rules — meant to humiliate and shut him up — had the opposite effect. His continued fight for freedom increased his popularity in Manitoba..No, he’s not exactly a Francophone Braveheart. But he’s the closest thing Canada had to that freedom warrior while it was being led through a pandemic by timid, obedient, controlling politicians who blindly obliged the World Health Organization’s (WHO) often senseless bidding..So, how effective were those masks, lockdowns and vaccines Bernier challenged? The jury is still out on some of that, but it’s not looking good for the WHO..“I am seriously looking at running in the Portage-Lisgar by-election. I like the people there,” Bernier told the Western Standard..Many in the riding seem to be fond of Bernier and the PPC too. The PPC candidate fared far better than both the Liberal and NDP candidates in the last election..Bernier’s considering a run in the riding despite, or more likely because of, the support that grew for PPC after the shabby treatment he received when arrested and charged under the Public Health Act..Throughout the pandemic, Bernier opposed “unconstitutional and immoral” COVID-19 vaccines and mandates. Other politicians — Liberal, Conservative, and NDP alike at all government levels — zealously enforced crackdowns..Bernier voiced the frustration felt by countless Canadians. In speaking out, he made all those elected lemmings feel terribly uncomfortable..He had to be taught a lesson, humiliated by being ushered out of his vehicle and put into an RCMP cruiser.. Maxime BernierFormer MP Maxime Bernier was arrested in Manitoba on charges of violating public health orders. (The legal proceedings continue.) Now, Bernier is considering running in the next election in the Manitoba riding, presently held by retiring MP Candice Bergen. .“I know that was a kind of political repression. The premier at the time didn’t want me to do my big rally in Winnipeg. That’s why they arrested me for a meeting in a park with maybe 12 of our people on the executive of our riding association.”.In June 2021, Mounties were instructed to haul him in for violating public health orders. He had held the small outdoor meeting in the southern Manitoba village St-Pierre-Jolys. And he didn’t self-isolate when he arrived in the province. So, off he went to jail..The court case drags on. Bernier’s arguing that his Charter rights were violated. Manitoba courts keep postponing the big day of reckoning..Bernier floated the idea of running in Portage-Lisgar earlier this year. After spending a lot of time in Manitoba — he visited Portage-Lisgar just last month — Bernier’s optimism about his chances of winning the riding grows..It is home to a large Francophone community, which could work in Bernier’s favour..Without Bergen in the way it’s open season in Portage-Lisgar..Many Manitobans haven’t forgotten being choked by what Bernier rightfully said were “draconian” COVID-19 measures under former Conservative premier Brian Pallister who sent the law after Bernier..After Conservative Premier Heather Stefanson was sworn in, in November 2021, she didn’t ease up on restrictions. Manitobans will remember that too, along with the arrests and multi-thousand-dollar fines levied against many..Did frustration with Manitoba’s provincial politicians spill over into the September 2021 federal results?.PPC put a good dent into the reliable Conservative stronghold. Bergen ran away with it, of course, earning 55.5% of the vote. But PPC’s Solomon Wiebe finished second with 21.6%..Then when Bernier returned to Manitoba months later, his rallies drew bigger crowds. One rally, depending on who did the counting, had between 1,000 and 3,000 attendees..Bernier lost his bid to win his Beauce, Quebec riding in the last federal election..That he was shut out by mainstream media may have been a contributing factor. That’s only recently taken a bit of a turn. One mainstream outlet only recently afforded him 12 minutes of airtime. He couldn’t get a fraction of that during the election campaign..“The mainstream media knows if they cover me and give me more visibility, the party will grow faster. So, they don’t want to do that. Being in Parliament, I believe it would be harder for them to ignore us.”.One thing is certain, Bernier will not be running again in his former riding..“I’m looking at two ridings outside Quebec, Timmins-James Bay, Ontario and Portage-Lisgar for the general election.”.Timmins-James Bay is a seat now held by NDP MP Charlie Angus who didn’t win by a wide margin in 2021. The vote was close between all party candidates..Bernier will announce where he’s running by June..“I’ll have to make the decision with my team there and also with my wife.”.He points to the rumors currently “flying around the Ottawa bubble.”.“There are rumours of Trudeau stepping down, rumours of the NDP withdrawing their support, rumours of a snap-election.”.“I can’t say for sure whether or not there will be an election this year. But we need to be prepared.”.Portage-Lisgar is one of five by-elections that must be held. The others are in the ridings of Oxford, Calgary Heritage, Winnipeg South Centre, and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount..Bernier said Portage Lisgar is the “most exciting.” The by-election date hasn’t beenannounced ..Bernier said Canada’s caught between an “ideological and common-sense revolution.”.“It’s so crazy out there. It cannot be like that forever. We will win. That is taking time. Common sense will prevail. We’re on the right side of history.”.It’s a long journey from sitting on a hard seat in a cold jail cell to a cushy leather chair in Parliament..Who knows? Stranger things have happened.
