Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger has apologized to the John Howard Society for an incident on Thursday, when the group's top officials were forced out of the provincial legislature while trying to deliver a petition.

John Hutton, executive director of the John Howard Society in Manitoba, said Premier Greg Selinger has agreed to discuss the federal crime bill with the group next week. (CBC)

Society executive director John Hutton and chairman David Alper went to the legislature on Thursday morning to deliver a national petition against Bill C-10, the federal government's omnibus crime bill, to Selinger's office.

Hutton said although he and Alper had given officials advance notice that they were coming, security guards at the legislature locked the building's doors when they arrived.

Furthermore, Hutton said a security officer slammed one of the doors to push him out of the building.

Soon after phoning Wolseley NDP MLA Rob Altemeyer to report the incident, Hutton said Selinger phoned him to express regret over what happened.

"I don't want to dwell on the negative. He told me that this shouldn't have happened. I take him at his word," Hutton told CBC News.

"I can't imagine that it would be likely to happen the next time I go to the legislative building, although I may have a camera handy just in case."

Protests held at MPs' offices

A spokesperson for the premier's office told CBC News there was legitimate confusion over whether the John Howard Society intended to deliver a petition or protest inside the legislature.

The spokesperson confirmed that Selinger did apologize for the incident.

Hutton said Selinger has agreed to meet with the group next week to discuss Bill C-10.

The John Howard Society said the petition that Hutton and Alper were trying to deliver was signed online by more than 103,000 people across Canada who oppose the bill, which promises to introduce stiffer and longer jail sentences.

Meanwhile, protests against Bill C-10 were held in 120 locations across the country on Thursday.

In Winnipeg, a handful of demonstrators wearing cowboy hats rallied outside Conservative MPs' constituency offices.

"The government should be listening to the citizens, and this is what we are saying," said Ellen Kruger, who protested outside Winnipeg South Centre MP Joyce Bateman's office.

Demonstrators said they wore cowboy hats because lawmakers in Texas, where similar legislation was passed, have admitted that it has failed.