Pallister made the remarks at the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba's annual general meeting, which was moved online this year because of the pandemic. The premier specifically called out people protesting against pandemic restrictions, saying he supports the right to protest, but not when it puts people at risk. The premier suggested to party members and supporters who attended the video conference that those comments later led people to organize protests condemning his government's handling of the pandemic. Pallister defended his government's handling of the province's second wave of COVID-19, as Manitoba maintains the highest per capita rate of cases of the illness among Canadian provinces. Pallister said all Manitobans are in a position of leadership right now, and stressed the importance of staying calm and following public health advice instead of panicking.

Source: CBC News November 21, 2020 21:33 UTC