Elders claim Paul Dojack Youth Centre terminated contracts for raising concerns about breach of Indigenous ceremony – CTV News
December 12, 2025
Elders at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre claim they were dismissed from their positions after bringing forward complaints a facility employee breached sacred Indigenous ceremony protocols.
The Paul Dojack Youth Centre (PDYC) is a juvenile detention facility operated by the province just outside of Regina.
Melanie Fisher and Calvin Pelletier say they started working as elders at the centre in August. They led smudges, sweats and other traditional practices and teachings as a way to reconnect Indigenous boys to their culture.
“Our ceremonies are not performances, they are sacred,” Fisher told reporters Thursday. “They hold spiritual weight and responsibility. When our cultural protocols are violated, it affects, not only the elders, it affects the youth, the spirits that we call upon and the entire community.”
