OTTAWA—Maxime Bernier has lost five Winnipeg riding executives over concerns his People’s Party of Canada is harbouring racists, anti-Semites, and conspiracy theorists.

In an open letter to Bernier published on Facebook Tuesday, the five senior members of the People’s Party Elmwood-Transcona riding association — including the prospective candidate for the party — announced they were leaving the party.

The group said the “biggest problem” the PPC (People’s Party of Canada) faced locally “was our own supporters.”

“Racists, bigots, anti-Semites, and conspiracy theorists have (a) large presence in the public conversation surrounding the People’s Party of Canada,” the letter reads.

“Many of these PPC supporters would deny freedoms to Canadians and close our physical and economic borders. Many more spread disinformation and distrust online via their personal, and sometimes official party channels … We are appalled to see it encouraged with a wink and a nod now.”

Willows Christopher, who was seeking the party’s nomination in the Winnipeg riding, told the Star Thursday that “there was no particular breaking point” between the party and the riding association. Instead, he described it as a “slow drain over weeks” due to Bernier and the party’s perceived acceptance of fringe positions and personalities.

“Every time we saw someone in the party post something racist or conspiracy driven, or any time Max doubled down on immigration issues, it drove us in the other direction,” Christopher said.

“I couldn’t in good conscience associate myself with some of the people, including EDA (electoral district association) members (and) regional organizers.”

Christopher said he still respects Bernier and doesn’t necessarily blame him personally for the issues. Christopher intends to run as an independent candidate in the riding, which has been held by the New Democrats for most of its history.

“If you’re not going to vote PPC in October, vote Green,” he added.

Johanne Mennie, the PPC’s executive director, did not immediately respond to an interview request.

Bernier has been accused of courting the support of fringe and far-right elements since his campaign for the Conservative leadership in 2017.

Since abandoning his former party to forge the PPC last August, Bernier has doubled down on his position on reducing immigration, defending “free speech,” and cutting foreign aid. He has repeatedly said that xenophobes and racists are not welcome in his party, but the perception that the PPC is the standard bearer for the far-right has stuck.

Most recently, Bernier was criticized for posing for a photo with leather-vest clad members of the Northern Guard, a group anti-hate campaigners call militant and anti-Muslim.

The Star reported in February that members of Canada’s far right were seeking to infiltrate the PPC to give their extremist views more oxygen in the mainstream political discourse. The Star’s investigation found three riding association executive members and a provincial organizer for the party made hateful comments about immigrants, Muslims and other visible minorities online.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

In April, StarMetro Vancouver reported that PPC members in British Columbia were leaving by the dozens over fears the party had been hijacked by the far right. Angelo Isidorou, a former organizer for the PPC in Vancouver, told StarMetro that he couldn’t stand “idly by and be associated with a party that fosters these kinds of people.”

“The party that existed just a few months ago is not the same party now,” Isidorou said.

Read more about: