After camping out at the legislative grounds for over 100 days, the Justice for our Stolen Children protestors are being evicted.

Around 5:30 a.m. on Friday, Regina police, and officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Wascana Centre Authority arrived at the camp and began dismantling it.

The dismantling of the camp was peaceful, with campers working with officials to take down tents and remove items from the site.

 

 

The move comes after the Provincial Capital Commission served the group an eviction notice on June 2, ordering them to be out by June 5 at 5 p.m., saying no one can camp out on Wascana Park ground, put up tents or structures, or have fires. The deadline passed with no sign of the campers moving out.

Justice Minister Don Morgan said Regina police made the decision to evict the campers on Friday morning.

“It was a timing issue dealing with when the police felt it was appropriate to deal with,” he told reporters in Saskatoon.

Minister of Central Services Ken Cheveldayoff said the government was concerned about public safety on the site. He said his focus is making sure people can move freely through the park and take part in activities without any obstruction from the camp.

“We want to listen, we want to be respectful, but we want to uphold the law that camping is not allowed,” Cheveldayoff said.

Cheveldayoff said a number of events have been relocated due to the camp. He also said with events ramping up into the summer, the site will need watering and landscaping.

The camp was started by Richelle Dubois, the mother of the late Haven Dubois, shortly after the acquittal of Gerald Stanley in the death of Colten Boushie, and the aquital of Raymond Cormier in the death of Winnipeg teen Tina Fontaine.

Dubois’ son Haven was only 14 when his body was found in the Pilot Butte creek on May 20, 2015. The coroner’s report ruled that Haven’s death was accidental, but Dubois believes the death of her son was not an accident, and continues to call from the Ministry of Justice and Regina police.

Demonstrators at the camp have been asking for a meeting with government officials to discuss their concerns, but so far the two groups have not been able to schedule a meeting.

Morgan said the government is working with protestors to try to find a compromise, but said it was difficult with so many issues being presented and a lack of a collective voice representing the protestors. Morgan added that the province is willing to meet with the federal government to help resolve issues presented by the campers.

The provincial government released a written statement on Friday morning after the camp was dismantled.

"The Government of Saskatchewan respects everyone’s right to peaceful protest. While protests at the Saskatchewan Legislature are permitted, they must follow the Provincial Capital Commission guidelines."

"Representatives of the Government of Saskatchewan and Cabinet have visited the camp multiple times and offered to set up formal meetings on many dates and in many locations. These have been refused. Minister Cheveldayoff, Deputy Minister Richard Murray, and Speaker Docherty have visited the camp on many occasions. As recently as June 13th, Minister Cheveldayoff, Minister Merriman, Minister Morgan and Minister Kaeding visited the camp."

No one was arrested while the camp was being dismantled.

With files from Creeson Agecoutay and Alex Brown.