Richmound mayor speaks ahead of rally to force self-proclaimed 'queen of Canada' and supporters out

At a press conference on Saturday, Village of Richmound Mayor Brad Miller, along with other leaders from southwest Saskatchewan, spoke about the safety concerns regarding the self-proclaimed “queen of Canada” and her followers.

"We're standing together as one, and our focus is to move her out of Richmound," Miller said during his opening remarks.

Romana Didulo and her supporters have been staying on a private property that was formerly a school in Richmound since they were forced out of the town of Kamsack on Sept. 13.

The U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League describes Didulo as a “Canadian QAnon figure” who has called for “violent action” against those who help administer COVID-19 vaccines to kids.

Richmound and area residents have said they are uncomfortable with the cult-like group staying in the village of just over 100 people.

Leader Mayor Aaron Wenzel and Fox Valley Mayor Sean Checkley were in attendance at the press conference to show their support.

“It’s been a difficult few weeks and this could have been just as easily Leader or Fox Valley or any community in the area so we wanted to be here,” Wenzel said.

Checkley said the communities work closely together, and said the Village of Fox Valley shares in Richmound’s concerns.

“Fox Valley is the home to the Richmound students … the children shouldn’t have to be worried about those types of things, so the community is one and works together and needs to support each other,” he said.

“It’s not just a Richmound issue.”

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Miller said some people in the community have received cease and desist letters by email, and have also seen Didulo's supporters going around with their cameras and taking pictures.

When asked if those letters contained a threat of execution, Miller said "yes."

Miller said he has seen about 15 members in the area and has seen Didulo once before.

"She will not come out and speak to me, so to me, she's not a leader, she's hiding behind closed doors," he said.

The sign to the school was torn down and replaced with one by Didulo's followers. 

Miller said it's "terrible" to see a major part of his town taken over.

"It's a new low for myself and for the community and everybody else that's in this area, it hits home," he said. "We just want her out, we want our health and safety back, we want the love of our community to go back where it was."

"It takes time."

Miller said one of his main concerns is the children in the community.

"We're here about our kids," he said. "They're scared when they go to Fox Valley and when they get off the bus, are they safe?"

Miller said the mayors and town council made a decision to shut down the playground for safety.

A rally coordinated by concerned Richmound citizens was scheduled to take place following the press conference. Miller said he expected a few hundred people to take part.

The rally and peaceful protest is expected to last over the weekend and Miller said he hopes the outcome is positive.

"We've just got to keep finding ins and outs and how we can do it legally to move her on," he said.

The village is located north of Maple Creek about 450 kilometres west of Regina near the Alberta Border.

With files from Rory MacLean.