People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier was notably absent at the debate on Thursday, but after hundreds showed up in support of the leader, debate goers felt his presence.
By roughly 7 p.m., two hours before the English-language debate began on September 9, hundreds of PPC supporters showed up, creating a wave of purple outside the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.
Outside the museum, several videos show PPC supporters chanting “Let Maxime Speak,” “F*ck Trudeau,” and singing the national anthem in support of their absentee leader, whom the Leadership Debates Commission chose to bar.
JUST IN – PPC supporters chant "Let Maxime Speak" outside debate in Gatineau. pic.twitter.com/dgKjt4hlU8
— Canada First News 🇨🇦 (@CanadaFirstNews) September 9, 2021
Trudeau has arrived to a crowd of boos. Sunny ways to dark days. pic.twitter.com/UPfibKCNWH
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) September 10, 2021
Before going into the debate, the PPC had soared to a record 11 per cent nationally and was on track to surpass the NDP, who sat at 16 per cent.
Huge PPC rally outside the debate hall tonight after a poll shows Maxime Berner at 11% nationally. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/KFnqH6jTnp
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) September 9, 2021
Bernier took some solace in the demonstration, sarcastically throwing shade at politicians who call him “fringe,” despite having more support before the debate than the Bloc Quebecois (4 per cent) and Green Party (4 per cent) combined.
It’s so distressing to be a fringe party with no support at all. Not being invited to debates with the big guys. Media ignoring you. Maybe I should just give up, eh? pic.twitter.com/aVnKie6W7e
— Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) September 9, 2021
PPC protesters protest outside of the
English language leaders’ debate in Gatineau, Quebec because Maxime Bernier was not allowed to debate despite polling higher than two of the leaders invited.pic.twitter.com/8FXVkCtehl— Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) September 10, 2021
The demonstration was organized roughly one week in advance after it became clear that the Commission would not reverse its decision, despite overtaking the Greens well before the debate’s commencement.
Given that the PPC is now polling better than the Greens in many polls, the fact Bernier is barred from the official French and English language leaders' debates on Wednesday and Thursday while the Green leader is invited to both (as she should be) is arbitrary and unfair. https://t.co/yWMb69f6Z5
— Lorrie Goldstein (@sunlorrie) September 6, 2021
Likely annoyed but showing humility, Bernier did not blame the Commission for its decision but instead blamed the “political establishment cartel” for marginalizing his party since its founding.
“I do not blame the Commission, whose criteria were clear and objective,” Bernier said in a statement. “Rather, I blame the political establishment cartel, which refuses to debate crucial issues we raise and has done everything to marginalize us since the founding of the PPC.”
My reaction to being excluded from the Leaders’ Debates: Debate or no debate, you will keep hearing from us!#VotePPC pic.twitter.com/gOrKt3WEtN
— Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) August 21, 2021
Regardless, everyone felt Bernier’s presence, and many media outlets have now reluctantly admitted that he should have been there.
For voters, he represents an important position and demographic which no other major party seems willing or able to represent: the pro-freedom position and the unvaccinated and anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine-passport demographic.
