Mark Friesen, COVID-19 protester and political fighter, has died

People’s Party of Canada candidate and COVID-19 pandemic protester Mark Friesen has died.

His wife Jannecke Nielsen Friesen said in an ongoing fundraiser on Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo Friesen died in hospital on May 15 after contracting pneumonia.

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The Saskatoon resident had been previously diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia and ALS, his obituary said.

According to posts on the fundraising page, which has raised nearly $24,000, it was set up to cover “basic living expenses” after Friesen was denied disability after his dementia diagnosis.

Friesen was a retired Corrections officer and small business owner as well as an outspoken anti-mask protester. He received numerous tickets across Saskatchewan for flouting public health orders for holding rallies while gatherings were restricted because of the pandemic. He also organized opposition to vaccine mandates.

Friesen — who had an online presence as the “Grizzly Patriot” — unsuccessfully fought the fines, claiming the public health orders were invalid, violated his Charter rights, and that the police gave no warning that those gathering at his rallies might be charged.

He was also a candidate for the People’s Party of Canada in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections and was ticketed along with party leader Maxime Bernier for attending a Vimy Memorial gathering in 2021.

Bernier posted a tribute on X, saying Friesen “reminded us that true change is born of ordinary people who refuse to remain silent.”

Friesen also ran in a 2022 byelection in Saskatoon Meewasin as the Buffalo Party candidate after former NDP Leader Ryan Meili resigned.

In 2021, Friesen was hospitalized and reportedly intubated after COVID-19 landed him in hospital in Saskatchewan — and eventually Ontario. He was one of 27 patients the province sent to Ontario to ease the strain on intensive care units.

The hospital stays didn’t make Friesen rethink his opinions, however.

“I cherish freedom, I cherish the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I cherish people’s ability to make their own choice and I will continue to fight for that,” he told 980 CJME and 650 CKOM’s John Gormley at the time.

“Regardless of the experience I’ve had, that doesn’t change my principles or my values around freedom. It’s too important. Without freedom, we have nothing. It’s just something I’ll never back down from.”

Friesen was raised in Saskatoon and in a 2019 election questionnaire for 650 CKOM he said he was inspired by psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, wished he “didn’t get old and could play football for the Riders,” and named Stalin, Hitler, and Mao Zedong as the three people, dead or alive, that he’s love to have dinner with.

“Pure evil fascinates me,” he said. “I served my country in uniform for 25 years in prison; the criminal, evil mind attracted me to that business as well.”

Friesen’s funeral will be held on May 25 at 2pm at Christ The Healer Gospel Church LOC Campus just outside Saskatoon. He is survived by his wife and three adult children.