With little provocation, Manitoba’s premier today spoke about the protest that took place in Steinbach this past Saturday.

Brian Pallister condemned the event, which touted COVID-19 public health measures like mask-wearing as an infringement on human rights, as one of blatant disrespect. Hundreds of people attended the rally, many coming into close contact with one another and, as a result, Pallister says those attendees have an elevated risk of transmitting the virus to others.

“Saturday was a tough day for anyone who cares about the health and safety of Manitobans,” he said in reference to the rally. “We know there was a get-together where people behaved badly; coughing on officers and using racial slurs, but this is not Steinbach.”

this could be seen at the rally Saturday afternoon.

Elaborating on a comment he made yesterday, Pallister said many of the people at the rally who have not yet been ticketed for their participation, will be receiving a bill in the mail. He says officers monitoring the situation photographed the nearby license plates and the vehicle owners will be penalized.

When asked if that could lead to the wrong people being fined, Pallister equated the situation to a photo radar ticket; it may not be the vehicle owner’s fault but someone needs to pay the price.

“I believe Manitobans want to see deterrents for the kind of behaviour that they saw on the weekend and we are going to make sure those deterrents exist.”

Meanwhile, Pallister cautions people against misinterpreting this enforcement as the government cracking down on the right to protest. He calls the ability to protest peacefully a democratic right but says, in this instance, there were other factors at play.

“I want to be absolutely clear that we are not, as a government, expressing in any way a disrespect for the fundamental freedoms people must enjoy… but I will insist, through enforcement, that people respect one another by obeying public health orders.”

He continues.

“In short, the rally was dangerous in the way it was conducted and disrespectful in the way it was conducted and Manitobans need to know that charges are being filed and fines are being issued to those who generated that disrespect… You do not have to believe in Covid. Covid believes in you. And it has proven itself time and time and time again: it kills people.”