White woman Pauline Goertzen runs for chief of B.C. First Nation torn by deep political rifts

If there's any controversy about Pauline Goertzen, a white woman, running for chief of northern B.C. First Nation, it has little to do with her race and a lot to do with the small band's bitter political infighting.

Goertzen, described as a community organizer and anti-racism activist, was nominated to run against former councillor Wesley Sam to lead the Ts'il Kaz Koh First Nation, which has about 130 members on its reserve some 225 kilometres west of Prince George, B.C.

If she wins the election on Feb. 11, Goertzen would be the first non-aboriginal leader of the First Nation, which is also known as the Burns Lake Band.

"[It's] humbling and a huge responsibility," Goertzen told the Huffington Post.

Goertzen, who has lived in the area all her life and worked with the band for more than 16 years, was urged to run by First Nation elders because she has no vested interest in the deep conflicts dividing the community.

[ Related: Liard First Nation seeks change in election ]

"Elders have assured me that an Indian Act system isn't an indigenous system," she told the Post.

"When we're talking about traditional law, customs, potlatch, clan houses, I would never get involved in that, but when it comes to running a band-based corporation, I know how to do that."

The key to understanding what's going on in Burns Lake is the fact the First Nation's reserve sits astride the route of Enbridge Inc.'s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would transport oil sands crude to a planned export terminal at Kitimat, B.C.

The project got conditional approval from a federal joint review panel last month but still must be approved by the federal government.

First Nations in the region have been divided over the massive project, which some see as a potential economic benefit but others view as an environmental time bomb.

Ts'il Kaz Koh Chief Albert Gerow and other members of council came under fire by critics in the band who accused them of working behind closed doors on resource-related projects, including Northern Gateway.

Gerow, who is married to former B.C. NDP leader Carole James, supported Enbridge's application to conduct exploratory drilling and surveys in two areas along the pipeline route, the Georgia Straight reported.

The band council's claimed lack of transparency triggered a two-week occupation of the Burns Lake band offices by a half-dozen people last spring. It ended peacefully after a massive show of RCMP force.

[ Related: Northern Gateway pipeline opponents vow to fight on ]

Gerow, who stepped down as chief to take a job with TransCanada Pipelines (behind the equally controversial U.S. Keystone XL pipeline project), is suing three members of his own band, including Coun. Ron Charlie, for defamation for, among other things, suggesting the chief had cut a secret deal with Enbridge.

Charlie is among those backing Goertzen's bid for chief.

“The community respects her, and the community thinks that she’ll be a great leader,” he told the Georgia Straight.

Goertzen is not a complete stranger to electoral politics. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Smithers, B.C., town council in 2011.

If she wins, Goertzen's term in office would be short, since regular band elections are scheduled for October. But she plans to make the most of it.

“I have a very specific mandate from the community to undertake in the coming eight months,” Goertzen told the Georgia Straight.

One of her priorities will be to review “various industrial agreements” entered into by the Gerow-led council, the very thing Charlie and other critics demanded before the chief stepped down.