Moe firm as teepee protest grows

He says no further talks planned with supporters of justice camp

REGINA Premier Scott Moe says his government will not be meeting again with members of the Justice for Our Stolen Children camp and once again called for the teepees marking the protest to be taken down.

The protest camp, marked now by 13 teepees located across the parking lot from the Legislative Building in Regina, was set up in February after two men were acquitted of charges in the deaths of two young Indigenous people, Colten Boushie in Saskatchewan and Tina Fontaine in Manitoba.

Supporters say the goal has been to start a conversation with the provincial government to address issues like the over-representation of Indigenous children in the foster-care system and inequality in the justice system.

In a meeting between camp members and members of Moe’s cabinet on July 2 in Fort Qu’appelle, the protesters outlined a list of actionable items — many of which were related to child welfare and the justice system — for the province to take action on.

And while Moe says his government will be responding to the camp, he does not see another meeting taking place, despite calls from the protesters to do just that.

“We would also ask that, in good faith, the individuals across the way understand that they are in violation of bylaws and start to remove some of the structures that they have there,” said Moe.

“We will continue to work with them and others, leadership across the province as we have, and there are a number of comments that will be provided very shortly with respect to their requests that they had, but as far as organizing another meeting with the individuals, not at this time.”

With teepees now going up in other Canadian cities, including Saskatoon, Moe said his government has handled the Justice for Our Stolen Children camp in an “engaging fashion” because members of his cabinet attempted to, and now have, co-ordinated a meeting with them.

“And those grievances were raised with respect to the meeting that we had, and we’ll be providing comment to them with respect to what we’re doing and we’ll continue to engage,” he said.

Moe also maintained his government has a “strong relationship” with First Nations leaders and communities across the province.

Last week, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron pledged his support to the camp and called on Moe’s government to continue to listen to all First Nations voices.