Maxime Bernier still hopes for a return to the House of Commons. And it is no longer in Beauce, but in southern Manitoba that he will try to get elected this time. The leader of the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) intends to be a candidate in the by-election to be held there in the coming months.
In a speech of nearly 30 minutes, in the constituency he hopes to represent, Mr. Bernier on Friday denounced the “radical left”, the “pseudo Conservative Party”, and he promised a “revolution of common sense”, a “struggle of ideas” as well as a “renewal of the country”.
The Quebec politician did not hide the electorate he is targeting. Mr. Bernier returned to the health measures of the pandemic, promising to “fight for freedom”. He denounced the right to abortion and assisted dying, described as a “cult of death”.
Mr. Bernier also began his campaign launch by denying gender identity and rejecting trans people, speaking of “mutilation of our children” and “madness”. ” The cult woke demolishes the traditional pillars of our society,” he chanted in English, with a heavy accent that was particularly apparent in his pronunciation of the name of the Portage–Lisgar riding.
After failing to be elected leader of the Conservative Party, Maxime Bernier had slammed the door of the party in 2018 to found his own People’s Party of Canada, which the libertarian politician resolutely wanted more to the right than his former formation. MP for Beauce since 2006, he lost his seat in the 2019 elections and failed to seek re-election in 2021.
His choice of new constituency is not accidental. Mr. Bernier’s PPC had its best result, in the 2021 election, in Portage–Lisgar. The PPC came in second, with 21.6% of support, while remaining far behind the Conservative Party, which won 52.5% of the vote. This rural riding would also resemble that of Beauce, argued Mr. Bernier.
Portage–Lisgar, located west of Winnipeg, is a Conservative stronghold. Former minister and acting party leader Candice Bergen has been elected there with 60% to 70% of the vote since 2008. The 2021 election was her worst score, but she still earned more than 50% votes. The riding was previously represented by Brian Pallister, who became Premier of Manitoba after serving as an Alliance and then Conservative MP from 1993 to 2000.
A possible thorn for Pierre Poilievre
Despite the PPC’s good result in Portage–Lisgar two years ago, the Conservative Party retained its seat with a large majority.
By remaining active on the federal political scene, Maxime Bernier is however courting part of the electorate also targeted by Pierre Poilievre. The PPC failed to steal seats from the Conservatives two years ago. He could, however, threaten to deprive the Conservative Party of a few percentage points in battles closer than in the Prairies.
Pierre Poilievre’s office would not comment on Maxime Bernier’s candidacy on Friday.
“I pay no attention to what ‘Mad Max’ says or does. It doesn’t matter, ”said Nova Scotia MP Richard Perkins when news of his candidacy began circulating on Wednesday.
Five seats are vacant in the House of Commons. In addition to the upcoming by-election in Portage–Lisgar, the Prime Minister will also have to call one in the ridings of Winnipeg–South Center (where former minister Jim Carr died last fall), Calgary–Heritage in Alberta (where curator Bob Benzen retired), Oxford in Ontario (vacated by curator David MacKenzie) and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount in Montreal (following the departure of former minister Marc Garneau).
The by-election in Winnipeg South Center is the first to be called, by June 11. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could trigger several at once, possibly as early as this weekend according to rumors. The riding of Calgary–Heritage may not be part of the lot, however, given the ongoing provincial election in Alberta.