Maxime Bernier Fined for 2021 Violation of COVID-19 Restrictions

People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier leaves a protest against government measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, in Peterborough, Ont., on April 24, 2021. The Canadian Press/Fred Thornhill

People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier agreed to pay $2,000 in fines and costs in Manitoba Provincial Court on May 16 for violating pandemic restrictions in 2021.

“I am proud of what I did,” Bernier told the court, according to information reported by Blacklock’s Reporter. “It was a dark time in Canada.”

Bernier admitted in an agreed statement of facts that he had not quarantined as an out-of-province visitor prior to attending several federal election events in southern Manitoba in June of 2021. In a statement, Bernier also admitted he hosted public events in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.

He was arrested by RCMP on June 11, 2021, and spent part of a day in police custody before being released.

In his statement, Bernier said, “It was the first time in Canadian history that a politician was thrown in jail for a non-crime. It was an embarrassing example of political repression.”

Bernier was originally facing four counts of violating provincial pandemic rules, but two of them were dropped. The judge ruled Bernier’s time in custody was sufficient to cover one of the fines, and he was ordered to pay about $2,000 in fines and surcharges for the other.

His statement adds that Bernier asked if he could make a charitable donation to The Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters instead of paying a fine, but was told he had 30 days to pay the fine to the Manitoba government.

Earlier this month Bernier announced he was running as a PPC candidate in the June 19 federal byelection in Portage-Lisgar, Manitoba.

Conservatives won the riding in the last federal election with 52.5 percent of the vote. The PPC came in second with 21.6 percent of the vote.

In remarks prepared for his announcement on May 12, Bernier said it’s a chance for voters to send a new voice to Parliament.

“No matter the result of this byelection, the CPC will not form the government,” said Bernier. “This is not an opportunity to get Trudeau out, but it is an opportunity to get a new voice in.

“Send me to Ottawa, and I will speak out against the anti-family policies pushed by the Ottawa elite,” he added.

Bernier ran for the PPCs in his home riding in Beauce, Que. in 2021, but lost by over 17,000 votes to incumbent Conservative MP Richard Lehoux.

Bernier was a cabinet minister under Stephen Harper and won the Beauce riding four times, starting in 2006, until he broke with the Conservative party in 2018.

Although the PPC received over 840,000 votes in the 2021 federal election, the party so far has not elected any MPs.