When you look back into the history of Lhtako Dene Nation, it shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, the very first European of all, to cross this continent, ended up having his life and his mission spared by this kind community. The Lhtako people whom Alexander Mackenzie met coming down the unfamiliar river (now called the Fraser) halted his journey by water and directed him to the coast by way of their road through to the mountains and forests to their Pacific trading partners. Had they said nothing, Mackenzie and his party would surely have perished without a trace in the canyons to the south.
This early partnership has now led to another. The Lhtako Dene Nation (LDN) and the BC Winter Games are close partners - along with the City of Quesnel, the Cariboo Regional District and School District 28 - on hosting the 2024 BCWGs.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise, then, when LDN chief Clifford LeBrun spoke up at the ribbon cutting on the Games office at City Hall. Yet he still caught everyone by surprise when he announced that the Nation was donating $50,000 to the 2024 event. Mouths fell open, eyes bulged, and a gasp led into a round of eager applause.
It’s a significant amout of money, and it is also a symbolic one. When Quesnel hosted the 2000 edition of the BCWG’s, said mayor Ron Paull, the legacy left over after those Games was $50,000. From that was launched the Quesnel Community Foundation that has now levereaged millions into endowments from which hundreds of thousands of annual dollars are injected into the community.
The Lhtako Dene Nation wanted to be more than just a token Indigenous name on a consultation checklist. They want to be a part of these Games, and have an influence on its legacy.
“It’s a very proud moment for the Lhtko Dene to be part of this, and it shows not just a relationship but a true partnership between the Nation and the City, and shows that that can work. We can use that as an example for the rest of the province. It’s more than just lending our flag and our name,” LeBrun said.
They are lending people, too. A volunteer campaign is underway within the LDN and key members of the Lhtako community are taking up positions in the leadership chairs of the Games.
Raymond Aldred is the Nation’s official liaison with the Games, and he said no one was sure what that will look like one year from now, but it’s a first for provincial Games history.
“It’s history in the making. We’ve made it this far and I’m kind of at a loss for words, thinking about it,” said Aldred, who is also an elected councillor with LDN. “We have lots of youth getting in touch with their traditions. Internally it is driving us to get more in touch. I was just down in Vancouver and saw how the communities down there are rich in their cultures; it gives me inspiration, looking forward. Everything we’re doing is in-roads for our youth. It could become a new normal for youth to get familiar with our traditional singing and dancing.”
Tim Michell is another elected councillor who has a chair’s position with the Games.
“We’re going to try to influence a lot of First Nations elements into the Games with our culture, get our dancers, elders, get our Lhtako community involved as much as I can. My vision is to showcase Lhtako as much as possible,” Michell said. “Our roles and duties are too early to say, we’re just having our initial meetings now, but we have a great team. It’s going to be exciting.”
Local Games chair Brian Balkwill said the BCWGs is expected to generate about $1.6-million in economic activity within the Quesnel economy. The Lhtako kick-start is a powerful tool towards that goal.
“I can’t even express in words how exciting that is for all of us associated with the Games and we just look forward to spending lots of time with Lhtako Dene and all your members, and make this a great Winter Games,” Balkwill said.
LeBrun said, “It’s a chance to do something collaboratively in the spirit of true partnership. You don’t see a lot of cities stepping up to do that, in this province, right now. There’s a lot of talk, you know, and goodwill there, but this is actual action that we are very proud of. Our relationship with the City is growing and it’s not just this, it’s other initiatives like Lhtako Dene Park, and so on. Finally there’s some mutual respect at the table and it’s going very well.”
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