'They're just standing up for what they believe in': Indigenous leaders call on province to speak with Legislature campers

Indigenous leaders are calling on the Manitoba government to talk with the protestors who have been camping outside the Legislature for more than a year before evicting them.

Two days have passed since the province's deadline for two encampments to leave the grounds of the Manitoba legislative building.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) and the Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) met with occupants of the "Bring Our Children Home" camp Thursday afternoon. The camp was set up more than a year ago on the east side of the grounds, after the discovery of suspected unmarked graves at former residential schools.

It's unclear why a second encampment was set up on the north side of the grounds.

Last week, the province issued eviction notices under its new legislative security act - which bans people from constructing structures and occupying tents or portable shelters on legislative property.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen says it is now in the hands of police.

"It clearly is about safety. We need to ensure that people who are visiting this building, people who work in this building, people who are protesting at this building feel safe and are safe," said Goertzen. "So we'll let law enforcement and enforcement officials deal with the encampments in the way they feel best."

But Cornell McLean, Acting Grand Chief of the AMC says government officials should first speak with the occupants, "Out of true reconciliation, they should come out and speak to us, not just assume that we're going to go away peacefully," he said.

McLean says he has reached out to Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Alan Lagimodiere to discuss the matter, with no response.

He says there is no reason to move the camp.

"They're peaceful, they're just having a peaceful demonstration, they're just standing up for what they believe in."