Still unvaccinated, Maxime Bernier insists PPC doesn't need a pandemic to grow
CBC
London resident and realtor Rob Johnkans' support for People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier is steadfast.
"I met him, shook his hand and had a couple minutes conversation with him," said the longtime Conservative voter. "The guy is solid ... I believed in him at that moment. He is who he says he is."
Johnkans was among the usually-moderate voters who gravitated toward Bernier's party during the last election. Bernier's attacks on COVID-19 public health restrictions and vaccine passports appeared to unify a portion of the electorate that views pandemic policies as government overreach.
With that message, the PPC captured about 5 per cent of the vote nationally, possibly damaging Conservative prospects in some ridings. Moving forward, however, it's not clear how the party can maintain that support and build momentum with no representation in the House of Commons and with the pandemic likely to end before the next election.
Bernier, however, is defiant and claims he can do just that even in the face of defeat.
"We don't have anybody in Parliament, but we are the real opposition. If you look at all the ideas we promote, we are the only real conservative party in Canada right now," he said.
In an interview with CBC News, Bernier rejected claims that his party won the support of alt-right extremists by pandering to their views. His platform pledged to clamp down on immigration, expand gun rights, repeal the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and water down legislation on discrimination.