Their land is situated just south of the boreal forest in the aspen parkland ecosystem of Canada.

However, by the 1870s, commercial hunting had reduced the bison to near extinction and the Ojibwe of Saskatchewan and Manitoba began to suffer from famine.

Historically, the people of Cote have lived in Saskatchewan and neighbouring Manitoba, for at least 250 to 300 years.

By the late 19th century the Europeans had made their way into the eastern Saskatchewan region and then commenced to negotiate with Cote leaders.

Among them was Chief MīMīY (Gabriel Coté, Mee-may, Pigeon), who signed Treaty 4 on September 15, 1874.

It is not known if the Ojibwe people of eastern Saskatchewan participated in the 1885 North-West Rebellion but their land was quite far from the major battle scenes of the conflict.