Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan

Lieutenant Governor's Message

Before the railroad arrived or settlers came west, massive herds of buffalo roamed the vast grasslands, and the people were sustained by the animals and the land. They were the Nêhiyawak, the Nahkawininiwak, the Nakota, the Dakota and Lakota, and the Denesuline peoples. They had distinct cultures, rooted in spirituality, family, and community. Newcomers arrived: first, the explorers, then the fur traders, and then wave upon wave of immigrants. Everything changed.

The pioneers brought with them different languages and religions, different costumes and dances. They had a new system of justice, with red coats and gavels. They brought new diseases and drinks. The year was 1875, and promises called treaties were signed, and the people who had once known only the boundaries of water, earth, and sky, found new homes on reserved land. Their voices were almost lost, but not quite.

Slowly, the descendants of once proud nations adapted and survived. They had children, they embraced education, and their voices grew stronger. They formed governments, educational institutions, and cultural organizations. And their voices continued to grow.

The year is 2010, and everything has changed. The descendants of newcomers and the descendants of the First Nations share this land. One hundred and thirty-five years after Chief Payepot signed Treaty 4, the promise of the treaties is still alive.

As the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the direct descendant of Queen Victoria, it is a deep privilege to serve as Honorary Patron of the Chief Payepot Anniversary Committee. I am grateful to the visionary individuals who are commemorating this milestone. It is an opportunity to take an honest look back, and a hopeful look forward.