Justice camp supporters, provincial officials to meet
For Glenda Dubois, the Justice For Our Stolen Children camp is personal.
As the aunt of Haven Dubois, a 14-year-old boy who was found dead, face down in a shallow creek in east Regina in May 2015, Glenda has come to the camp every time she’s in Regina.
For more than 100 days, a photo of Haven lived on a poster at the camp, along with the words: “What happened? My life matters.”
The Regina Police Service ruled out foul play in his death and the coroner’s office ruled his drowning accidental, but the family has called for a more thorough investigation.
Haven is just one of the many faces of the camp, which was set up initially in February in the wake of the acquittals for men charged in the deaths of Indigenous youths Colten Boushie in Saskatchewan and Tina Fontaine in Manitoba.
Since Day 1, supporters say the goal has been to start a conversation with the provincial government to address issues like the over-representation of Indigenous kids in the foster-care system and inequality in the justice system.
After several unsuccessful attempts to organize a meeting between the government and protesters, camp supporters and the government confirmed Tuesday a meeting is now set for the day after Canada Day.
“I feel a lot of pride,” said Dubois of the news. “I’m happy for the amount of support that has been evident, as you can see with all the teepees.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the encampment had grown to six teepees.
During Tuesday’s news conference, camp supporter and Colonialism No More spokesperson Robyn Pitawanakwat said the meeting will be held in Fort Qu’Appelle on July 2 at the Treaty Four Governance Centre — a location agreed upon by both sides.
The government said in attendance will be Minister of Central Services Ken Cheveldayoff, Justice Minister Don Morgan, Minister of Social Services Paul Merriman, deputy premier and Minister of Education Gord Wyant and Minister Responsible for First Nations, Metis and Northern Affairs Warren Kaeding.
“We, of course, have believed ourselves to be ready for a meeting before — thought we had a date planned and set and then those meetings didn’t come through,” said Pitawanakwat. “We’re hopeful this meeting will.”
She praised Chief Edmund Bellegarde of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council, who led negotiations between the government and the protesters.
Located across from the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, the camp will remain open for now; protesters say they ’ll reassess after the meeting.
On June 18, the camp was cleared away, and Regina police physically removed six passively resistant protesters.
But the camp’s original teepee was rebuilt days later — only to be joined by more in the days that followed. The File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council set up a second teepee on Saturday, followed by Piapot and Peepeekisis First Nations.
“It feels amazing,” said Pitawanakwat. “These are issues that each of these First Nations and each of these larger communities are dealing with. It reinforces our need to be here and it reinforces our strength and our stamina to stay.”
Dubois felt the added teepees served as a wake-up call for the provincial government and a sign the camp and its people aren’t going anywhere.
Government officials had previously voiced concerns the camp would be disruptive to Canada Day festivities.
Cheveldayoff told reporters on Monday that while it is important the government dialogue with the protesters and address their concerns, the structures in the park are still illegal and should be removed.
“Structures are not allowed to remain in place, and it’ll be up to the Regina Police Service to enforce the law,” he said, adding discussions with police will take place “about the future and how to make that area as safe as possible.”
Pitawanakwat says Regina’s Canada Day committee has previously indicated it’s willing to accommodate the camp and relocate Canada Day activities.
When asked about what changes, if any, have been made to the celebrations because of the camp, the committee responded with a news release indicating more activities are being held this year on the north side of the lake than has been the case in recent years. The protest camp is on the south side.
“In previous years, Canada Day Celebrations were held on the north side of Wascana Park in the beautiful gardens and green space around the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. We are looking forward to returning to this tradition as we celebrate Canada’s 151st Birthday,” said the release, which is silent on the reason for the change.
On Tuesday afternoon, an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the First Nations exhibit at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and attended by Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Gene Makowsky was held less than 1,000 metres from the camp.
“I encourage anybody that wants to know more, to come to the camp because this is not something you see in a museum,” said Dubois. “This is something that’s happening right now.”
As the camp has grown, so has its profile — officially making its way onto the federal government’s radar.
“To the best of my knowledge, there has been one request to my office just in the last few hours to become involved,” Regina Wascana MP Ralph Goodale told reporters at an unrelated media event in Regina on Tuesday.
“I understand the main focus more recently has been on provincially related issues, but to the extent that there is a federal component, we’ll obviously listen very carefully,” he said.
Questions have also been raised about whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a stop at the camp during his visit to Regina on Canada Day.
“We are very focused on the meeting with the provincial government. If Trudeau stops by, then I imagine that we’ll deal with that as it comes,” said Pitawanakwat.
“We’ve been welcoming to everyone that’s come through, so I can’t imagine that he would be treated any differently,” she said.
As for the meeting with the provincial government, some protesters are hesitant to get their hopes up. “Not until we’re actually there, in the room across the table from them, would I even consider us getting anywhere,” said camp mainstay Prescott Demas.
A time and a length of time for the meeting has not been established yet.