People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier speaks to reporters during an election-night rally at the Saskatoon Inn on Sept. 20, 2021. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

By CKOM News staff

Maxime Bernier supporters out in full force in Saskatoon

Sep 21, 2021 | 10:03 AM

He may have lost his seat in Quebec and his party may not have made inroads in Saskatchewan, but Maxime Bernier had a winning attitude nonetheless.

The People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader held a rally Monday at the Saskatoon Inn that ended up taking over three ballrooms.

“Today we made history,” Bernier told supporters. “Canadian politics will never be the same again.”

Most of those in the room were unmasked, in direct contravention both of the rules of the hotel and the province’s current health orders.

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Photos from the event caused a reaction on social media with an eventual tweet from Saskatoon police.

“(The police) must do their job,” Bernier said.

The PPC leader has espoused freedom of choice for Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that continued with the rally. He said he wasn’t going to force people to wear masks, just as he has said he wouldn’t force anyone to get a COVID vaccination.

“Everybody is in the same boat but vaccinated people, unvaccinated people, everyone can spread the virus,” he said. “That’s based on science, that’s based on common sense … There’s no way to do more discrimination and segregation in this country. We will fight always for our freedoms and we want people to be able to decide.”

But undeterred, Bernier rallied supporters with a speech that pointed out his party tripled its support from 2019. In that election, the PPC received 1.6 per cent of the vote; that grew to 5.2 per cent this time round.

It may not have translated into seats in the House of Commons, but it may have had an impact on how many votes went to Erin O’Toole and the Conservatives.

On a personal front, Bernier is left as leader of a party without any seats, including his own in Beauce in Quebec.

He previously served as Conservative MP in that riding between 2006 and 2019.

“I prefer to lose my seat with my principles than winning it without speaking about what I believe,” Bernier said.