As right-of-centre, populist movements continue to pop up around the world, Quebec MP Maxime Bernier has announced he will leave the Conservative party of Canada and will launch a new political venture called, The People's Party of Canada.
Bernier says the name - which will be PPC for short – will be registered with Elections Canada over the next several weeks.
Bernier said the PPC will “respect our traditions, our history, and what makes Canada a unique place in the world, without trying to forcibly change it like the current Liberal government is doing.”
“For too long, Canadian politics has been hijacked by interest groups, cartels, lobbies, international organisations, corporate or union interests, and the interests of politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa who are disconnected from ordinary citizens,” Mr. Bernier said in a speech on Friday morning.
“It is time that the government put the Canadian people first when they make decisions and policies. It is time to put power back into the people’s hands,” he added.
Bernier says that his party will have a candidate on the ballot in every federal riding (a total of 338 ridings) in Canada’s general election, which will take place next fall.
Called the “Parti populaire du Canada” in French, the new party will be headquartered in Gatineau. Bernier says he has raised $140,000 thus far and that thousands of people have reached out to him to get involved.
