Maxime Bernier has lost his seat in Parliament.
The People’s Party of Canada leader has held the riding of Beauce, Quebec, since 2006. He was defeated by Conservative candidate Richard Lehoux.
After failing to win the Conservative leadership in 2018, Bernier formed the PPC, an openly xenophobic party that campaigned against immigration.
Earlier this month, Bernier participated in the official leaders’ debates after a controversial decision by the official Leaders’ Debates Commission to give the PPC a podium, despite the fact the newly formed party had never won a seat in Parliament.
“The PPC does have more than one candidate endorsed by the party with a legitimate chance to be elected,” wrote David Johnston, the debates commissioner, in his rationale for allowing Bernier a podium.
The PPC had submitted a letter to the commission containing a list of five ridings where it believed it had the greatest chance of electing a candidate:
- Beauce
- Etobicoke North
- Nipissing-Timiskaming
- Charleswood-St.-James-Assiniboia-Headingley
- Pickering-Uxbridge
The PPC lost in those five ridings. At time of publication, it appeared unlikely the PPC would see any candidates elected to government.
“What we managed to accomplish in only one year is spectacular,” said Bernier in his concession speech.
