Maxime Bernier spoke to around 20 supporters in P.A. Wednesday (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Federal Election 2019

Bernier makes stop in P.A.

Aug 1, 2019 | 8:33 AM

With a little less than three months to go to the federal election Prince Albert had a visit from the founder and leader of nation’s newest national political party.

Maxime Bernier, leader of the People’s Party of Canada (PPC), spoke at a modest gathering of around 20 supporters at the P.A. Golf and Curling Club. Also on hand was Kelly Day, who was recently named as the party’s candidate for Prince Albert.

Maxime Bernier shakes hands with supporters (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

Bernier spoke to the score of supporters before eventually taking questions from those in attendance. The issue of immigration featured prominently with him stressing his party’s plan to reduce the number of newcomers the country accepts.

“What’s happening in Europe, what’s happening in Australia, what’s happening in other countries, they have huge challenges with the integration of their immigrants,” he said.

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Along with his proposal to lower immigration numbers, Bernier also called for a bigger role for the private sector in delivering health care. He also spoke about his plans to balance the federal budget in two years by making large spending cuts which include reducing foreign aid and defunding the CBC. The party leader promised to cut taxes across the board from corporate to personal. When asked about Indigenous issues, Bernier had some proposals which included abolishing the Indian Act.

Speaking to media afterwards the MP from Beauce, Quebec touched on the Saskatchewan government’s battle with their federal counterparts over the carbon tax.

“I don’t know what will happen, but I hope they’ll be successful, but they won’t have to do that with a PPC government, we won’t have a carbon tax,” he said.

The PPC has made headlines in the past for attracting some candidates and supporters with extremist views. Bernier said the party is putting this behind them and is being responsible.

“We did background checks on our candidates on our riding associations, we look at their Facebook page and things like that,” he said.

Looking at their chances electorally in Saskatchewan Bernier said he was optimistic given the slate of candidates and the political bent of the province. He added the PPC is not much different to the Reform Party which emerged in the 1990s.

“We are the old Reform Party, look at the blue book, in the blue book you have no more corporate welfare, you have in the blue book a change of the equalization formula, you had in the blue book cutting foreign aid,” he said.

Kelly Day, PPC candidate for Prince Albert with Maxime Bernier (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn