Saskatchewan Judge Finds Maxime Bernier Violated COVID-19 Health Orders at Rally

A Saskatchewan court has found People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier in violation of public health orders for holding a rally during the COVID-19 pandemic. A court decision dated Dec. 14 found that Mr. Bernier and several others participated in a rally on May 9, 2021, in Saskatoon, while public health orders prevented gatherings of more than 10 people. There were 44 people facing charges in the case, which was heard in September 2022 and June 2023, according to court documents. In the court decision, Judge Quentin Douglas Agnew found 39 of the defendants guilty of violating the public health orders. Mr. Bernier’s attorney attempted to draw in the Ingram decision from Alberta, issued in July, where the court ruled that public health orders issued by the chief medical officer of health were not valid because they were made by the cabinet and not the top medical officer....