The leader of the People's Party of Canada made three appearances in Manitoba on Monday as the federal election campaign ramps up.

Maxime Bernier held rallies in Steinbach, on a farm near Plum Coulee, and at The Forks in Winnipeg. Hundreds of people showed up at the Steinbach rally, while around 1,000 people attended the other two events.

Bernier spoke against vaccine mandates and did not quarantine upon arrival in the province, a requirement for unvaccinated people. Bernier says he has chosen not to be vaccinated.

"If I have to go back to jail to defend our freedoms and the freedoms of all Canadians, I'll do that," Bernier says.

He was arrested in June for breaking public health orders on gathering sizes when in the province to hold rallies south of Winnipeg. He has a court date set for Sep. 21 in St-Pierre-Jolys related to those charges.

At the Plum Coulee rally, Bernier spoke about how he feels freedoms are being stripped from Canadians in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He continues his Manitoba tour on Tuesday with stops in Brandon, Dauphin, and Portage la Prairie.