2018 will be a year of new beginnings for the people of Dakota Plains First Nation. Chief Orville Smoke explains that they dropped a lawsuit they were pursuing in 2017 and look forward to dialoguing with the government on the issue of housing in particular.

"One of them is successfully bringing housing to the community with what we have." Smoke says, "We're now trying to get recognition for the loss of use of economic development support."

Smoke notes they look forward to working with revenue streams that are independent and not just contribution dollars.

He also says that while they dropped a lawsuit they were pursuing in 2017, they're still fighting for recognition of who they are as a people, and seek to concentrate more fully on what they can do as a people.

In many ways, Smoke says they'll be starting from scratch, but knows they will use what they can to achieve success, particularly in economic development