SACRED FIRE KEEPS BURNING
Protest camp ignores eviction order
REGINA At 5:01 p.m. Tuesday, the sacred fire was still burning at the protest camp across from the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.
That fire was lit 98 days ago, according to Prescott Demas. Its warmth fills a teepee erected on Wascana Centre property, initially in response to the acquittals of Raymond Cormier and Gerald Stanley. It has become a place where protesters gather to share stories of residential schools, lost loved ones and years in foster care.
“I think of it as a release point,” Demas said. “It’s a step in healing.”
But it should be gone, according to an eviction order issued by the Provincial Capital Commission. The order set a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline for the protesters to cease overnight camping, remove their tents and stop burning combustible material. Posted on two trees surrounding the camp, notice sheets warn that failure to comply would be an offence under the Trespass to Property Act.
Tory Mcgregor sat at the fire, too. He said he prefers negotiation, but his tone is strident — he will defend the sacred fire.
“The police will not dump water on this fire,” said Mcgregor. “If they did, it would be absurd. It would be desecrating something that’s really special to our way of life.”
Some 75 supporters joined them at the Justice for our Stolen Children Camp on Tuesday evening for a barbecue, labour and LGBTQ activists among them. Few seemed concerned about the deadline.
Some said they would return if called upon, even in the midst of a police response.
Ivan Anderson — at the camp for only the second time — said he’s not worried about the consequences. He would do “anything that was asked.”
“Unfortunately, there’s no type of change that ever really happens without things getting at least a little bit active,” he said.
The government is staying vague on what action will follow if the protesters continue to ignore the eviction order.
“We’re very hopeful that they will comply with that notice but we’ll reassess the situation tonight at five and see where we stand,” said Richard Murray, deputy minister of the Ministry of Central Services, in a briefing to reporters Tuesday at noon.
“I don’t want to prejudge. We’re still hopeful that they will, in fact, vacate the premises.”
He noted that Wascana Centre will be the site of Canada Day festivities, and said security officials fear the campers could present a “disruption.”
“We’re worried about the security of everyone at the park on Canada Day, and that’s probably an unneeded disruption,” he said, noting Wascana Centre has already seen multiple events relocated because of the campers.
Some at the barbecue were taken aback by that reasoning.
SGEU president Bob Bymoen called the Murray’s Canada Day concerns “shameful.”
“Hopefully, I will see you here on Canada Day,” he said to the campers.
Demas said he isn’t thinking that far ahead. But he thinks the camp could be an educational addition to the celebrations on July 1.
“Why not take the opportunity to allow us to keep talking to citizens — especially on Canada Day,” he said. “Forty to 50,000 people that they say plan to come to this park? Well that’s 40 to 50,000 people that may like a history lesson on the treatment of Aboriginal people.”
The campers do not have a list of demands, according to Demas.
But they hope to meet with the minister of social services and others responsible for the child welfare system. Those meetings were scheduled, according to Murray, but fell apart due to wrangling over the location. The campers say they wanted officials to come and meet in the teepee, but Murray said that wasn’t acceptable.
“The teepee in our minds is an illegal activity,” he explained.
Demas said he has one recommendation to make if he gets a meeting: “Just stop taking our kids.” He said he’ll stay at the camp as long as it takes. He’s not afraid to go to jail.
“They ’re going to have to drag me away in handcuffs,” he said.
“They ’re going to have to put out our sacred fire.”