Non-Native woman runs for chief of Burns Lake First Nation

Tuesday, January 21, 2014  

Pauline Goertzen, a non-Native woman, is in the running for chief of the Ts'il Kaz Koh First Nation, also known as the Burns Lake First Nation, in British Columbia.

Goertzen is eligible to run due to a provision in the Indian Act. She has many supporters on the reserve, where she has worked on suicide and energy issues.

"I have been a supporter of the community over this past year throughout many different challenges they faced and as we've gone through them, it's been really hard for the community to be recognized or have a voice," Goertzen told CBC News.

One other person is running for chief following the resignation of Al Gerow. He is now working for TransCanada, the company that wants to build the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline in the U.S.

Get the Story:
Non-native woman nominated for chief of B.C. band (CBC 1/19)
Caucasian woman asked to run for chief of Burns Lake Band (The Georgia Straight 1/16)