When Chief Robert Sam walked into a room, everyone knew it was time to get down to business.

B次元官网网址淎s soon as we saw him drive into the parking lot, someone would shout, B次元官网网址楥hiefB次元官网网址檚 coming!B次元官网网址� And weB次元官网网址檇 all scatter to our offices and make sure we were busy,B次元官网网址� said Jackie Albany, director of operations for the Songhees Nation.

Albany knew Sam as a great mentor and seasoned political negotiator, a man who drafted his own letters and never minced his words.

B次元官网网址淚n negotiations, he just said what the Songhees community needed and that was it, there was no negotiating,B次元官网网址� said Albany, who worked closely with Sam for more than two decades.

Sam, 76, died on Monday morning at Victoria General Hospital after complications following a stroke.

Among his many accomplishments was being the driving force behind federal government negotiations that advanced the Songhees to stage 4 of a complicated treaty process.

He was also a founding member of the First Nations Finance Authority, a member of the Association of First Nation Chiefs Committee on Treaties and a board member of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

He developed bylaws for his community on property tax, fire protection services and negotiated an education agreement with the Greater Victoria School Board.

But it is SamB次元官网网址檚 character and deep commitment to the Songhees Nation that is most deeply missed by the Greater Victoria community.

B次元官网网址淗e scared the heck out of me, but his humour was unbelievably dry and wonderful and he always had a twinkle in his eye,B次元官网网址� Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said at a council meeting on Monday.

Desjardins said Sam was a progressive and tough negotiator who was passionately driven to build a sustainable future for his community.

B次元官网网址淵ou always knew that he was going to push you to your limits and you just always knew what he was thinking. He will be sorely missed.B次元官网网址�

The municipal flags in Esquimalt and Victoria were lowered to half-mast on Monday to commemorate Sam.

B次元官网网址淲e are all heartbroken,B次元官网网址� said former Victoria mayor Alan Lowe, who forged the first formal relationship with the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations when he took office in 1999, by inviting both chiefs to city hall.

B次元官网网址�(Chief Sam) said I was the first mayor that invited him into my office to meet,B次元官网网址� Lowe said.

He recalled SamB次元官网网址檚 sense of humour.

B次元官网网址淥ne time we had a fun challenge where we would have a race in the Inner Harbour. He brought his group of paddlers in a canoe and I had a group of paddlers on a dragon boat.

B次元官网网址淲e beat Bob hands down and he quipped at the end of the day, B次元官网网址楴ext time IB次元官网网址檓 going to bring men with me, as opposed to boys.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

During LoweB次元官网网址檚 term, Sam and Esquimalt Chief Andy Thomas started to attend all the major city events.

B次元官网网址淗e definitely wanted to tell the world that the Songhees Nation was alive and well,B次元官网网址� Lowe said. B次元官网网址�(His death) is a huge loss to the Songhees First Nation.B次元官网网址�

NDP leader Adrian Dix and Esquimalt-Royal Roads MLA Maurine Karagianis chose to remember Sam in his own words from 2006:

B次元官网网址淭he strength and wisdom of our past leaders have served to get us to where we are today. The vision and commitment of our people will help us achieve our goals for tomorrow.B次元官网网址�

Albany said she is working closely with SamB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渉uge familyB次元官网网址� to arrange a memorial service for Sunday, July 15 at the Songhees Nation Longhouse.

B次元官网网址� with files from Roszan Holmen

dpalmer@vicnews.com