Police, province, mayor react to suicide prevention protest in Wascana Park

The Regina Police Service, the Government of Saskatchewan and Regina’s mayor are reacting to the latest protest in Wascana Park.

A teepee has been set up and a camp has been established as a part of 24-year-old Tristen Durocher’s protest over the current suicide prevention strategy in the province.

He walked more than 600 kilometres to raise awareness about the problem of suicide in Saskatchewan prior to setting up the camp.

On Sunday, in a post on the “Walking With Our Angels” Facebook page, Durocher shared he had been woken up at around 5 a.m. by men in uniform, telling him to take down the encampment in the park.

The Provincial Capital Commission (PCC) said the camp is breaking Wascana Park bylaws, which prohibit setting up a structure in the park and remaining on the grounds overnight.

On Saturday, Durocher received a summons, delivered to him by six people in uniform, informing him he was breaking four park bylaws: No overnight camping, no fires, no permanent structures, and no demonstrations outside the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Police spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich said officers were standing by when Durocher received the summons, but did not directly interact with any protesters.

Popowich said police have been working with the “Walking With Our Angels” group even prior to their Regina arrival Friday.

“We knew they were on their way and wanted to just establish a relationship, just start some positive communication,” Popowich said.

“We helped them in getting a parade permit for their walk through the city and then guided them to the legislature grounds.”

Popowich said the role of the Regina police in this situation is to keep the peace.

“We will work together with (the protesters) and the Provincial Capital Commission to resolve this safely and peacefully,” she said. “We continue to check in with them just to ensure that all parties are well and safe.”

Popowich said all communication the RPS has had with Durocher and the “Walking With Our Angels” group has been “quite positive.”

“People have a right to protest and a right to be heard. It’s all about peaceful protest,” Popowich said. “I think that there isn’t anything that can’t be addressed through good interactions and positive communication and good intentions so up to now, I think it’s been relatively peaceful.”

At a media conference Tuesday, Deputy Premier Gordon Wyant said Durocher’s views on conversation to improve mental health and suicide prevention are “important.”

“We certainly understand it’s a tragedy when anyone loses their life, especially by suicide, and respect the fact that Mr. Durocher has come to the legislature to express his concern about that,” Wyant said,

“We do … respect the right of Mr. Durocher to come to the legislature and protest but we are also concerned about the fact that the protest camp in front of the legislature is breaking the law and so we would ask him that he respects the laws in this city and this province.”

Wyant said the minister of rural and remote health has offered to meet with Durocher several times to speak about Saskatchewan’s suicide problem, but those requests have not yet been accepted.

“That’s where it stands now; we wait for Mr. Durocher to accept the invitation of the minister to have that meeting,” Wyant said.

Durocher addressed these invitations in an interview Friday, saying he would not meet with the minister without the presence of media and others.

“I plan on meeting with him but he wanted to meet me just by myself and with no media and just a private discussion,” Durocher said. “That, to me, is not constructive at all. I don’t speak on behalf of the entire north.”

Durocher wants to see the minister meet with those working on the front lines of the problem with at-risk communities.

“He needs to speak with them. He has no right to sit with me in a room for half an hour, call that a consultation and walk away … He’ll meet with the collective or he won’t meet with me at all,” Durocher said.

Jay Teneycke, executive director of communications for the provincial government, said the PCC and the Ministry of Health have reached out to the “Walking With Our Angels” group “on several occasions.”

“Protests are welcome within Wascana Centre, but do require the appropriate permits and must follow the bylaws and regulations that govern the park,” Teneycke said in an emailed statement.

“This system helps create a safe and healthy work environment and is intended to create a balance within the park that meets the needs of both individual patrons, protesters and other groups.”

He said the PCC is committed to working with all groups to ensure an inclusive and welcoming park experience for everyone.

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere told Gormley guest host Michael Couros on Tuesday it is a complicated issue.

“Everyone has a right to protest, it’s a part of democracy and part of the democratic process but there are bylaws to be followed,” Fougere said.

“The most important element is public safety (and) the expression of free speech but also obeying the laws is quite an important element, so I think it is definitely a balancing act between all those interests.”

Fougere said he believes the PCC will try to resolve the issue as fairly as possible.

Popowich said she doesn’t believe frustration is currently present regarding the group’s presence.

“I think the organizers of this protest have been told through the Provincial Capital Commission that there is a bylaw and so there’s a process for addressing what may be seen as a breach of the bylaw,” she explained.

In June 2018, there was another protest in the same place Durocher has set up his teepee in Wascana Park.

Six people were arrested from the Justice for Our Stolen Children Camp on the lawn across from the legislature.

Justice for Our Stolen Children took down its camp only after a court order was issued in September of that year.

Durocher has said he will not willingly leave the camp and the group will not take down its camp, though he has stated he will not resist should authorities decide to physically remove him.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Britton Gray