PPC candidate in BC calls for the arrest of provincial health officer

A People's Party candidate in British Columbia is handing out thousands of flyers, calling for the arrest of Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer. In an email with the subject line reading "LOCK HER UP!", Renate Siekmann says, "We are planning a super Saturday & Sunday like no other! We need your help this weekend to deliver 1000s of flyers throughout the riding, calling for the arrest of Dr. Bonnie Henry."

"We must shine a spotlight on the person most responsible for the injustices taking place in BC. That person is Dr. Bonnie Henry," the email continues. "Dr. Bonnie Henry has been solely responsible for authorizing all BC public health orders during this pandemic, which includes the vaccine passport. No vote has taken place in the BC legislature. She may speak softly, but she has undoubtably [sic] committed human rights violations."

Renate Siekmann made headlines this past week for comparing vaccine mandates to the residential school system in a flyer sent to over 50,000 homes.

The BC Assembly of First Nations called the comparison "harmful and repugnant."

"The analogy falls flat, trivializing the experience of Indigenous peoples within (the) residential school system to a public health measure doesn't work," BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee told Global News.

In response to the controversy, Siekmann tweeted: "BC's history hasn't always been great, we must learn from the past & improve. This analogy may make some uncomfortable or angry, but this is a hard and important conversation to have."