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Despite a notice saying they had to leave, a group of activists will continue camping in Wascana.
As of Wednesday, the Justice for our Stolen Children camp has been in the park for 99 days.
The group gathered in Regina after similar camps popped up in Winnipeg and Alberta following the Gerald Stanley and Raymond Cormier verdicts.
Prescott Demas, a supporter of the camp, said the one in Wascana is focused on the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous youth.
“During my time here, there’s a lot of people that have come through and they talked to me a lot and sat around the fire and they told stories, a lot of sad stories, a lot of hurtful stories,” Demas said.
On June 2, the province issued a notice claiming the camp was in violation of various Wascana Centre policies and bylaws.
It stated the group had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to leave, or charges would be laid.
“Doesn’t change nothing. I know the notice is there, they gave us the notice on the first day, we have a sacred fire in here and I’m not abandoning the sacred fire,” Demas said.
“I’m not just going to fold up because they have a little notice there.”
Demas said he’s surprised the camp has been around for the 99 days, adding it was meant to open doors to dialogue and spark a discussion.
“I figured that (the Saskatchewan government) would’ve at least came out to talk, at least come out to see why we’re here,” Demas said.
He noted the only discussion the provincial government had with them was before the legislative session finished.
Demas said the camp invited politicians to have a meeting inside their teepee, but later received a phone call stating provincial representatives couldn’t make it.
Demas added he and other members were then invited to a lunch in a tent at the legislative building on May 29.
“They asked us to meet them halfway in the lawn (at the Legislative Building) under a tent and then they say that they couldn’t acquire a tent,” Demas said. “So we acquired a tent and we phoned them back and they said this conversation is over.”
In a statement to 980 CJME, the province said it was alerted the night before the meeting that members of the camp would not be attending.
The province noted other dates were proposed, but no agreement was reached.
Demas said one reason the Saskatchewan government wants them out of Wascana Centre is concern they may disturb the upcoming Canada Day celebrations.
“We haven’t done anything here that’s been disruptive at all. We’ve invited everybody to come into the teepee and we’ve invited them all to come around just to talk to us,” Demas said.
“In fact, if it’s Canada’s 151 years, why not learn about a little bit about Aboriginal history and our inclusion or exclusion into Canada?”
The province said it’s assessing its next steps, and still plan to enforce the notice.
