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Passing the torch evokes many emotions for local residents

With an overwhelming sense of emotion one Lheidli T'enneh elder clasped the Canada Winter Games torch in her hands Saturday morning and said afterwards she felt like she floated along the 300 metres of the downtown Prince George route, which was part

With an overwhelming sense of emotion one Lheidli T'enneh elder clasped the Canada Winter Games torch in her hands Saturday morning and said afterwards she felt like she floated along the 300 metres of the downtown Prince George route, which was part of the Canada-wide relay that brings the torch to Red Deer, Alta., where the athletic competition takes place Feb. 15 to March 3.

Darlene McIntosh, Lheidli T'enneh ambassador, said her first question when she got the news about becoming a torch bearer was 'do I have to run?' she laughed.

And no she didn't.

And how heavy is the torch? It's a hefty seven pounds.

"But in the moment it didn't feel heavy at all," McIntosh said. "It was just a beautiful representation of this event."

Being a torch bearer brought McIntosh back to 2015 when the Canada Winter Games were held in Prince George.

"Lheidli T'enneh was co-hosting with the City of Prince George the beautiful Canada Games," she said. "And it shifted the energy of the Lheidli (T'enneh). The connection that was made, the pride that was felt, the remembrance of who were were came forward and to be honoured by the City of Prince George - basically by Mayor Lyn Hall, who was the instigator of building relationships and beginning on the road to reconciliation - and on our traditional territory. Prior to that we weren't acknowledged. We were just there. So it really brought us back to who we were in a big way."

The Lheidli T'enneh pavilion which was part of the Canada Winter Games events located in the heart of downtown during the Games in 2015 showcased many traditional elements of the local First Nations' heritage.

"It was a big hit of the 2015 Games and to be able to support all these young people in their athletic endeavours was so honouring and prideful," McIntosh said, who is part of a large lacrosse family. "It was so nice to see our young people do so well in the games."

McIntosh said it was such an honour to be asked to carry the torch Saturday and she had such a strong sense of pride, not only as a resident of Prince George but also as a member of the Lheidli T'enneh nation.

"It overwhelmed me with pride," McIntosh said, who was able to share the honour by walking with family and friends during the torch relay. "That in itself made me proud because it was a family event, a community event, a Canada event. It was just beautiful. I am so happy I was able to participate and represent the elders of our community, chief and council, our youth, and you know, we're going places now and that makes me very proud."

One of the other 12 torch bearers was Mayor Lyn Hall who said he was humbled when he heard McIntosh's words about the impact he made when he included the Lheidli T'enneh First Nations in the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

"It was important for me because the First Nations are a big part of our community," Hall said.

The relationship between Hall and First Nations people officially began during his time as a trustee on the School District 57 board in the early 2000s before he became a city councilor and then mayor.

"From the day I started on the school board we talked about First Nations students and their needs," Hall said. "I was part of establishing what we originally called the First Nations Choice school, that then turned into Nusdeh Yoh. That really was the start of my involvement with the Lheidli T'enneh. I guess back then I didn't realize what it would turn into. Over the years it was vitally important to make sure that they were involved because they are a big partner in our community. When they were named to be the first host nation of a games I could just see the pride in each one of their faces. You could hear it in their voices."

When the Lheidli T'enneh Pavilion was set up at the games to showcase their culture, Hall said that was a turning point in the relationship between the City of Prince George and the Lheidli T'enneh community, solidifying a strong partnership between the two, while bonding the friendship and professional relationship between mayor and Chief Dominic Frederick.

"For me it started in the 2000s with the school board and now it's come full circle," Hall said. "The games changed this community in a number of positive ways and having the Lheidli T'enneh community come to events shows how far the relationship and partnership has come."

During the Prince George segment of the torch relay on Saturday local drummers accompanied all the torch bearers throughout the event that ended at the Civic Centre for speeches, entertainment, sports-minded games and refreshments.

The 2019 Canada Winter Games torch relay began Oct. 4 in Ottawa with the lighting of the Roly McLennan torch from the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill. From there it went to Halifax. Montreal, St. Catharines, London, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, and Victoria. It was in Kelowna most recently and then came to Prince George on Saturday.

Alyson Gourley-Cramer started the relay off from Canada Games Plaza Saturday at 11, and was followed in order by Joel McKay, Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris, Catherine Hansen-McCarthy, Darlene McIntosh, Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty, Ted Clarke, Mayor Lyn Hall, Mandi Graham, Tony Cable, Myrna Cable and Justin Hampole.

From Prince George the torch will be flown to Newfoundland for an unscheduled stop in St. John's before it continues its tour in Alberta, Jan. 5. Thirteen Alberta cities are on the torch relay route to Red Deer. When it's all said and done a total of 48 Canadian communities will have been part of the torch procession.