‘Baffling’: Morden mayor rebuffs La Broquerie reeve’s ‘plandemic’ stance in open letter

The mayor of Morden has penned a polite but firm letter to the reeve of La Broquerie over his “plandemic” and conspiracy-theory laden stance.

Brandon Burley, who recently contracted COVID-19 and survived “albeit with complications which persist,” wrote the letter Thursday, calling out Reeve Lewis Weiss, who has called the novel coronavirus pandemic a “plandemic.”

“We share a Health District, and its resources are not infinite,” Burley writes.

“Your misinformation of the problem and its solution emboldens fringe minorities throughout the Province, including in Morden. You know, as do I … that we are not aware of any political designs to use the Pandemic as a method to infringe on the Charter Rights of Manitobans.

“Neither of us have any proof of such a conspiracy, and if you do, have a duty to provide proof commensurate to the claim.”

1:36 Pallister says tickets coming for those at Steinbach anti-mask rally

The letter admonishes the reeve for using his voice as a public servant to amplify “merit-less assertions of those who are interested in promoting a false-narrative.”

“I find your opposition to our shared best practices to be baffling.”

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Weiss attended an anti-mask rally in November in Steinbach and was one of the speakers at the rally.

At the rally, Weiss — who was handed a ticket by enforcement officials for his participation — made it clear he was not there on behalf of his council and that he appreciates health-care workers.

“Let’s question things, there’s many things, we need to educate ourselves,” he said after suggesting attendees watch a video that has been debunked by The Associated Press, among other media outlets.

Weiss has not responded to a request for comment.

As a result of his participation in the rally, the municipality’s council filed a formal complaint with the province.

Deputy reeve Ivan Normandeau told 680 CJOB that one council member even asked Weiss to resign at a Wednesday meeting, a request the reeve declined.

Burley and his family tested positive for the virus in late November. At the time, Burley told Global News he was too ill for an interview but confirmed his diagnosis and said he was having trouble forming words.

“For anyone who says ‘COVID is just a cold’ I can confirm it’s not, in no way whatsoever,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“Tests came back positive in our house, and I feel like I’m dead or dying 23 hours a day. Take this serious folks! Don’t worry, you won’t see us before it’s safe.”

—With files from Sam Thompson