16 - The Prince George Citizen - SHOP PRINCE GEORGE - Thursday, May 2b, 2000
                                                                                                                                                                              McLeod Lake Band Chief Alec Chingee signs the treaty Friday at a ceremony held on the shore of McLeod Lake. He is flanked by Dale Lovick, B.C. Aboriginal Affairs Minister (left), and Robert Nault, federal Minister of Indian Affairs.
T
        he sun shone on a ceremony at the 200-year-old Hudson’s Bay Trading Post on McLeod Lake to sign a treaty with the McLeod Lake Indian Band.
   More than 300 people, mostly band members, gathered at the old Fort McLeod to watch the final step in the treaty process, which has taken 16 years.
   Special medals, designed by band member Eureka Carty, were struck to mark the occasion and presented to key players in the event.
   Chief Alec Chingee signed the treaty followed by Robert Nault, federal Minister of Indian Affairs, and Dale Lovick, B.C. Aboriginal Affairs Minister.
   The good-humoured crowd sat in sunshine in a blustery wind off the lake and at one point, the ceremonies came to a standstill as everyone looked up in silence.
   A lone eagle circled high on southerly winds and all agreed the eagle, which plays a large part in their aboriginal heritage, was a good omen for the signing of a treaty.
ric day at McLeod Lake
                                                                                                                                             Band members give the thumbs up to the treaty during lunch at the community hail after attending the signing ceremony.
Russ Boyko, holding an eagle feather, was master of ceremonies for the 300 people gathered at the Hudson’s Bay post site of Fort McLeod for the signing.
 The
 Tse’khene paparazzi were there to record the event.
  McLeod Lake Indian Band Councilor Sharon Solonas receives her medal honouring her participation in the treaty process from Robert Nault, Federal Minister of Indian Affairs.