Canada Day festivities in Regina will be moving to the north side of Wascana Lake due to a protest camp set up in front of the legislature, according to the group planning the event.
The Provincial Capital Commission says, despite a request for Regina police to remove the tipis from the site, it will be moving the festivities.
“It is disappointing that last minute changes are necessary to an event that requires year-round planning because of an unpermitted and illegal protest,” PCC executive director Carrie Ross said in a written release. “We have bylaws and permits in place to ensure Wascana Park is available for everyone to use in a safe manner, and we are again asking the Regina Police Service to enforce the law.”
The government and protesters have agreed to meet in Fort Qu’Appelle on July 2.
Regina police Chief Evan Bray says police will not interfere with the site until the meeting occurs.
“Right now our focus is community safety. We don’t feel a police response at this point, especially knowing that there’s a discussion planned under a week from now, that a police response will do anything to help that,” Bray said Wednesday after the Board of Police Commissioners meeting. “We assess it multiple times a day, we make sure that there is no risk to the public, which at this point we don’t feel that there is. Our response right now is to let that discussion happen and ultimately hope for a peaceful resolution.”
Overnight camping isn’t permitted in the park.
The commission says the bylaws preventing camping are in place to ensure safety and security for people in the area.
The Justice for Our Stolen Children camp was built in the park in March. The tipi was torn down early last week after several protesters were arrested, but was returned to the site on Thursday.
First Nations from across the province have now added tipis to the site.
