Convoys against COVID-19 mandates, health measures plan to protest at Sask. Legislative Building Saturday

Several convoys are expected to set up camp at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building early Saturday afternoon, the day after a large winter festival is set to kick off in Regina.

The protest is organized by a different group than the one behind a solidarity rally on Jan. 29 that supported the cross-Canada protest calling for an end to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. 

This week's organizers say they plan to surround the Legislative Building with trucks and stay in the area until all public health restrictions in Saskatchewan are lifted.

The premier has already promised to lift all restrictions soon.

In a news release on Friday, the Provincial Capital Commission, which oversees the Legislative grounds, said that to ensure the safety of all pedestrians visiting the nearby Frost Regina Festival hub in Wascana Park, the Legislative Building or the streets surrounding the area, barricades would be installed and all streets will be exclusively for pedestrians.

As of Friday afternoon, cement barricades blocked vehicles from accessing the Legislative Building. But an organizer for the convoy says that won't stop protesters from occupying the area.

"Barricades won't stop the revolution. Still tons of concrete to park on in the fine city of Regina. See you tomorrow, Patriots!" wrote organizer Tamara Lavoie, an anti-vaccine and anti-mandate figure in Saskatchewan, on Facebook Friday afternoon.

In a Facebook Live earlier this week, Lavoie said, "Nobody's going anywhere until this is over."

"If you're not prepared to come down to the Legislature and plant your ass there and stay with them, then maybe this isn't the movement for you."

In another video posted to her Facebook on Thursday, Lavoie said, "It's not just about getting rid of the mandates ... [it's about] the masks, the vax pass, all the other nonsense, the testing."

Lavoie called for people who lost their jobs due to proof of vaccine mandates to get them back, and for schools to abolish any COVID-19 rules. She also shared debunked conspiracy theories about the pandemic and vaccines.

Lavoie has been a vocal PPC supporter and frequently participated in protests against vaccine and COVID-19 mandates, including at the Regina General Hospital.

No access to Legislative Building

Meanwhile, due to "a security risk," access to the Saskatchewan Legislative Building is temporarily suspended for all visitors as of Friday. All tours, education events and public events in the building are cancelled until further notice, according to the Legislative Building's website. 

The Regina Police Service (RPS) told CBC it has not been in communication with the organizers of the convoy protest.

"They have not applied for a permit and they don't seem to have any interest in communicating with us," said Elizabeth Popowich, spokesperson for the RPS. 

Popowich said RPS's role is to be objective and uphold the rights of all — including the rights of those who wish to protest, as well as the rights of visitors and residents — all while keeping people safe. 

"We will continue to monitor and assess ahead of the event to make sure we are appropriately resourced for this event, as well as other calls for service in the city."

Frost Festival

The Frost Regina Festival kicks off on Friday and will offer many free indoor and outdoor activities, some of which will be at Wascana Centre, near the Legislature Building.

Tim Reid, president and CEO of REAL and an organizer for the Frost Regina Festival, said the festival believes it can deliver a great event, despite the protest. 

"Our position is we respect people's right to share their message, and we would just ask that those that are sharing a message, whatever that might be, respect the right of those that are going to for us to have a good time with their friends and families as well," Reid said.

"Right now, there is no intention to move any of the events away, but I can say that we have built contingency plans … ultimately, if we need to move events or activities, we have some sites that we can move them to that are not at the park."

Premier's response

During the Council of the Federation winter meeting on Friday afternoon, Premier Scott Moe was asked by press if he condemned the convoy protest plans for the weekend in Regina.

He did not.

"Folks across Canada are growing weary. They're growing weary of, you know, managing their way through COVID in their personal life and in their professional life. And they're growing weary, quite frankly at times as well, of a number of the public health measures that have been in place for a period of time," Moe said. 

"We support everyone going out and getting vaccinated in our province. But we're also looking at our public health measures and the effectiveness of each of those public health measures. Given that we have a number of additional tools that are available to us here today."

Moe said everyone has the right to protest, as long as it's in the confines of the law.