McLeod Lake Indian Band is a major economic entity within our traditional territories, and will not be placated or given small jobs by industry to pacify our needs. The Band demands meaningful jobs and takes pride in its work and accomplishments. In the industries where the Band has established businesses, the Band has earned a reputation of competence and integrity. The Band is an inclusive First Nation and wishes to work with other First Nations and non-native communities to build a better Canada for all.

 McLeod Lake Indian Band is part of the Tse’khene group of Aboriginal peoples that includes bands at

Fort Ware (Kwadacha) and Ingenika (Tseh Kay Dene).

The traditional territory of McLeod Lake Tse’khene is approximately 108,000 square kilometres and is bounded as follows:

To the south, the height of land separating the Arctic and Pacific watersheds near Summit Lake;
To the east, following that height of land to the border of British Columbia and Alberta;
To the north, following the border to the Peace River, west, following the southern bank of the Peace River to Williston Lake, south, following the western bank of Williston Lake to the western bank of Manson Arm, south, along the west bank of Manson Arm, southwest and west, along the height of land between Manson River and Eklund Creek and Jackfish Creek, southwest; and,
To the west, along the height of land between the Nation River watershed and the Omineca River watershed, south and east along the height of land separating the Arctic and Pacific watersheds to the commencement point.

The main community of McLeod Lake Band is located on McLeod Lake Indian Band Indian Reserves #1 and #5 near the unincorporated village of McLeod Lake, approximately 150 kilometres north of Prince George on Highway 97. McLeod Lake Band Membership totals 464 members (as defined under the Indian Act) with approximately 86 members living in McLeod Lake, 15 members living in Bear Lake, 150 members living in Mackenzie and Prince George, and the rest throughout North America. New Indian Reserves are being established in Mackenzie and Bear Lake as provisions of the Treaty 8 Adhesion Agreement. As these reserves are developed and housing constructed, it is expected that more band members will move back to Indian Reserve lands.

The government is consists of an elected Chief and 6 Councillors, with elections every three years with elections are conducted according to a strict electoral code.

The Band funds itself primarily through investments and business, but also receives some of its administration and program funding from the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, and other government departments and agencies. The Band Administration is subject to a comprehensive annual audit with Deloitte & Touche LLP as its local government auditor.

History of the People

The Tse’khene are a south westerly extension of the Athapascan speaking people of northern Canada. We were a nomadic hunting people who controlled the basins of the Parsnip and Finley Rivers and the valley of the Peace River in British Columbia. Living on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, we are the "People of the Rocks". The language of the Tse’khene belongs to the Beaver-Sarcee-Tse’khene branch of Athapaskan.

The McLeod Lake Tse’khene were the first encountered by Alexander McKenzie on his journey to the Pacific Ocean in 1797. In 1805, the Northwest Company erected British Columbia’s first fur trading post at the mouth of the Pack River on McLeod Lake.

In 1898, the Klondike gold rush brought thousands of prospectors into the Peace River region on British Columbia on their way north. During the fall of that year, some 500 Beaver and Tse’khene peoples refused passage through their territories. Fearing violence, the Government of Canada promised Aboriginal peoples a treaty. In 1898, Treaty Number 8 was proposed and during the next 15 years, the Government of Canada signed up various Indian Bands in north eastern British Columbia. The Government of Canada did not sign McLeod Lake Tse’khene to Treaty 8.

In 1987, McLeod Lake Indian Band advised the Government of Canada that it wished to join Treaty 8. Canada agreed to adhesion to the Treaty but the Province of British Columbia refused to transfer land. In 1988, McLeod Lake Indian Band obtained an injunction preventing the harvesting of timber on their chosen lands. In 1992, negotiations with British Columbia and Canada commenced, and in 2000, McLeod Lake Band ratified an agreement with the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia that brought the Band into Treaty 8.

The Treaty Adhesion Settlement provided the Band with some $38 million that is held in trust and some 20,000 hectares of forest lands, Indian Reserves, and fee simple lands. The Band is permitted to spend the interest beyond inflation from the Trust on administrative, community and economic development projects provided that the elected Board of Trustees approve the projects according to the Trust Agreement.

 Business History

The Tse’khene were hunters, living primarily on moose, caribou, bear, and beaver. Prior to the establishment of the fur trading posts, the Tse’khene traded moose and caribou skins with the Carrier to the west for salmon and other goods. With the establishment of the Northwest Company (and later Hudson Bay Company) trading post at McLeod Lake in 1805, the people established trap lines and sold furs at the trading post. The traditional pattern of life was to secure game in the fall, trap in the winter and spring, and then hunt for birds, fish, and pick berries in the summer.

The traditional economy continued until the 1960s when the provincial railway and John Hart Highway were built, opening up the land to non-aboriginal settlement and economic exploitation of the forest resources. This decimated the Tse’khene economy which depended on wild game. In 1969, the W.A.C. Bennett Dam was built which created a 650 square mile lake and flooded the hunting and trapping areas of McLeod Lake Tse’khene.

The 1960’s and 1970’s were not good years for McLeod Lake Indian Band. As members languished on their Indian Reserves, the municipalities of Mackenzie and Prince George prospered. Aboriginal people lost their traditional livelihood and were precluded from participation in the white economy. As has happened to many First Nations across Canada, McLeod Lake Indian Band entered a period of despair and faced the social disintegration of its community.

The Band decided that this situation could not continue. After repeated attempts to gain contracts from forest companies, Band Members engaged in civil disobedience by blocking forestry operations. In the early 1980’s, the Band and its members were awarded modest logging contracts. Duz Cho Logging Ltd was created and, through sacrifice, hard work and help from the Government of Canada, the firm has grown to be one of British Columbia’s largest logging contractors.

Profits from Duz Cho Logging were used to hire legal council to force the Government of British Columbia and Canada to allow McLeod Lake Indian Band adhesion to Treaty 8. This has resulted in the award of some $38 Million in trust and some 20,000 hectares of forest lands. Interest from the Trust Fund and profits from the forest lands provide the McLeod Lake Indian Band with funds for local government programs and for investment in additional business.

A problem facing the Band and Duz Cho Logging is the mountain pine beetle. As it ravages the pine forests, the allowable cut of the forests has been greatly increased. The effect of this is that there is significant work in logging today but an expected reduction in allowable cut of the forests once the mature pine has been harvested. In 10 years, it is expected that the Band’s logging company will have to reduce its size and employment. While continuing to build on forestry, McLeod Lake Indian Band is looking to diversify its economy. Accordingly, Duz Cho Construction Ltd was created in 2002 to work in the oil and gas, and coal industry of north eastern British Columbia. As much of the equipment and skills are common with a logging company, this has been a natural progression. The establishment of an Aboriginal company in the oil and gas industry has not been an easy task.

The Band hired an individual who had credibility within the industry and, with the assets of Duz Cho Logging and the Band, has been able to finance a wide range of equipment. From inception, it took the Band one year of lobbying with oil companies before it gained its first contract. This last fiscal year, which ends in October, Duz Cho Construction will have had sales of over $10 Million and will be profitable.

In June 2004, McLeod Lake Indian Band purchased 80% of shares in Summit Pipeline Services Ltd., headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Summit is a firm that constructs pipelines as well as provides diagnostic and repair services for oil and gas pipelines, municipal sewer systems, pulp mills and other industry. Most of their business has been in Quebec and Ontario, although its customers range coast to coast. Summit is essentially an eastern based company with most of their work in Quebec and Ontario which has seen its profitability and market share slip in recent years. McLeod Lake Indian Band has opened an office in Calgary for Summit and has been negotiating with oil and gas firms for business in western Canada.

McLeod Lake Indian Band has also established its own business development programs and has assisted Band Members to establish their own business ventures. These currently include owner-operated equipment, forestry and construction businesses, steel sales and fabrication, and the provision of accommodation. McLeod Lake Indian Band, while concentrating its resources on strengthening its existing business, is still open to new business ventures that promise profitability for the Band and opportunities for its membership.

 Business Goals and Principles

McLeod Lake Indian Band has a number of goals and follows sound principles in its pursuit of business:

Businesses must generate independent income to be used by Chief and Council to meet the social, health, and educational needs of Band Members. This income removes much of the dependency that the Band has with Government and allows the Chief and Council to pursue social programs beyond that provided by governments including the purchase of housing off the Band’s lands, providing an extensive program of education for its members, and enhanced health care programs.

The needs of the customers of McLeod Lake Indian Band’s business entities are paramount – the product must be provided at the right price, in the right condition and in a timely manner. It is through good dependable business that McLeod Lake Band has become one of Canada’s largest logging contractors. It is a goal that the Band’s other businesses can become as successful.

Qualified people are hired, whether Aboriginal or not, to work in Band business and government operations.

Job security and good working conditions for all employees (Band Members, other Aboriginals, and non-Aboriginal) must be provided. Business is enlarged when there is an opportunity to hire Band Members, rather than displace long term employees who are not Band Members. This provides that stability needed to prosper.

Work related training programs are provided for McLeod Lake Band and community membership. Employment training has been established to provide skills and promote good work attitudes.

It is the belief of Chief and Council that employment, rather than idleness, is important to the social fabric of the community. Profits from business allow the Band to fund employment in local government, pre-business, and work in the traditional economy.

Chief and Council does not to mix politics with business, and relies on professional managers in each of its business entities. Chief and Council, as shareholders, scrutinize the financial and business affairs of the business entities to ensure compliance with shareholders’ goals, objectives, and strategic plans.

da-nu-ch’e-a’

ke-yih

se ke-yih

‘u-dze’

‘u-ch’oo-dze’

‘u-dus-tl’us

‘u-ts’u-ne’

‘u-tsun

chu-ba

gat

gat ka

hi-yelh

lu-du-so

bes

ts’a’

‘e-ga

‘oo-sa’

tselh

tsuz 

lu-gloo

lu-bot

tus

da-get

khe-sus

chos

tse

kwun

mi-ghe

‘u-za

des-dli-dzu’

‘u-da-ghe

ya-choo-we’

‘on-da-ghe

ke-bat cho

koh

tsa-chin

koh nu-yeh-i

‘al

dah-dus-gho

ke-ni-yeh-i

meh-k’e-ts’u-geh-i

no-ze

dubedzi

dutl’udzi

‘oo-zeh-ts’o

(greeting)

area of the land, (where you live)

(my) area

heart

tree bark

paper

bone

meat

poplar (tree)

spruce (tree)

spruce lake

traps

sack

knife

plate

spoon

bucket or pail

axe

wood for burning

nail

cup

walking stick

fish gaff

carrying bag (pack)

feathers

rock

fire

lake

sand

“where water goes into the lake”

cave

large body of water (i.e. ocean)

light from the moon

moccasins with a high top

house or home

food cache

plant that is in a house

boughs of a branch

tree moss

seeds

pack board

skunk

blue

green

listens (hears)

Traditional Language