Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Again, it goes back to the treaty and what our ancestors signed. Yes, we signed for land to be set aside. I actually shouldn't even be saying “set aside”. It was always our land. We had never given it up. It was land sectioned out for us, for our people to have posterity. Today, unfortunately, we're in a case where Ochapowace's two treaty bands were amalgamated unilaterally by the Indian agent in 1881.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. We do a lot of it in Saskatchewan. We have urban lands that have been transferred to treaty lands. I wouldn't say too urban; we're on the outskirts of Regina, just a couple of minutes out. We had the opportunity to purchase those lands back in the early 1990s. On those lands we have started businesses that our urban members or off-reserve members can enjoy.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, it is. As I said, I've spent a lot of time working and reviewing. Not only that, but I had the opportunity to be passed the oral history of my mosôm, Marlowe Kanowasquahum, who was raised by his grandfather, who was at the signing of Treaty No. 4. Chief Kakisiwew was the first signatory to Treaty No. 4.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's Ochapowace.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I would like to thank you for asking the Kakisiwew-Ochapowace Nation to appear as a witness at this very important hearing regarding the restitution of land to first nations. My name is Okimaw Iskwew Shelley A. Bear, chief of our nation. I have been involved in first nations politics for decades in different capacities.