Mad Max tour cut short

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This article was published 11/06/2021 (1419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the intention of visiting communities across Southeast Manitoba on Friday delivering a message of freedom and political power, Maxime Bernier’s Mad Max Manitoba Tour was cut short after he was arrested on Friday.

The leader of the federal People’s Party of Canada and former member of Parliament has been holding rallies across parts of the country for the past few months to protest lockdowns and provincial public health measures, stating the orders are ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘draconian’.

Bernier had an ambitious schedule for his visit to Manitoba, with five planned stops on Friday, three on Saturday and two on Sunday. Large gatherings in Winkler, Winnipeg and Steinbach were slated with the hope of large turnouts. Bernier had originally planned for the events to take place on the properties of various businesses but quickly changed his itinerary to public spaces upon receiving criticism for not asking permission to gather on the properties in question.

The crowds in Niverville and St Pierre, the only two Bernier could attend on Friday before being cuffed, had small turnouts with approximately 50 people gathering in Niverville and a nine-person crowd present in St Pierre. Bernier spoke of his goal to put a PPC candidate in every riding of Manitoba, with over 300 across the country.

“We’re the only true conservative party left in the country,” he told the attendees at Hespeler Park in Niverville.

The self-proclaimed freedom fighter blasted provincial governments for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures, criticizing Premiers Jason Kenney and Brian Pallister.

“Mr. Pallister used to like me before, I don’t know what happened and now he says I’m not welcome in his province,” Bernier said. An attendee in Niverville assured the federal leader he was welcome there.

After holding court for nearly one hour Bernier drove to his next tour stop in St Pierre, but not before receiving a ticket from Manitoba Justice for contravening provincial public health orders. According to a video posted to his Twitter account, officials slapped Bernier with a $1,296 ticket and warned of additional fines or jail time if he attended his other planned engagements.

His quick speech in St Pierre garnered few attendees and featured many of the same talking points as his previous rally but ensured the francophone community he was ‘in it for the long haul’ and his party could achieve four percent of the national vote in the next federal election.

Not even an hour later, Bernier was pulled over on Highway 59 and put in handcuffs for his repeat offenses.

After Mounties read him his rights and placed a medical mask across his face, Bernier was carried away with Manitoba Justice in tow. Bernier has been charged with contravening provisions of the Public Health Act and will be brought before a provincial court judge.