“We’ve been talking among ourselves about what we’re going to do next, where we’re going to go."

Jeffery Okimow, 61, has a huge pair of hands. They used to earn him a living in the roofing trade until he could no longer hold his tools. His work injured his hands, he suffered muscle loss, and job loss.

Okimow, originally from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation (Loon Lake), came to Saskatoon in 1980 for a weekend. He never left.

“The city was growing and there were opportunities to work,” he said. “I got hurt about 20 years ago. Couldn’t work anymore.”

On Thursday, Okimow and his adult son were among roughly 30 people forced by the Saskatoon Fire Department to leave a large tent encampment at 19 th Street West and Avenue L South in the city’s Riversdale neighbourhood.

In recent weeks, t

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