SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Rebecca Plotner, 21, came back home from university because she wanted to make a difference in her community.

Plotner had been studying biochemistry at the University of Northern British Columbia and after two-and-a-half years of school, she was planning to take a year or two off and live in Prince George, B.C.

Rebecca Plotner, 21, was barred from running in the Yellowknives Dene First Nation byelection due to the band's conflict of interest policy, which prohibits members from running in elections if they work for a subsidiary company. Plotner has been a casual receptionist for Deton'Cho Corporation for around a month. She said she believes a double-standard is at work, when another candidate receives direct funding for programs they run in the community. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

However, she said the consistent prodding from friends and family to run for band council was part of the reason she decided to come home.

"I have been bugged about it a lot before I decided to run," she said, with people recognizing her initiative and willingness to speak her mind as qualities suited for public office.

Eventually, she decided to pick up the requisite forms and run for council in a byelection to fill three Dettah council seats.

Her first taste of politics though has been bitter. Because Plotner works for a Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) subsidiary company, she was banned from running.

She has been casually employed as a receptionist with Deton'Cho Corporation - wholly owned by the band - for around a month.

Plotner recognized this might be an issue, as policy dictates employees from subsidiaries of the YKDFN are prohibited from running for council under conflict-of-interest guidelines.

"Well even before I was nominated, I asked them if it was a problem that I was working with Deton'Cho. The elections officer told me she didn't think it was a problem," she said.

Plotner got her papers together, got her nominations and witnesses signed, along with a criminal records check for $25.

It wasn't until the night of the nomination closing date - June 15 - when she heard the bad news via a telephone call from the elections office.

She said she answers a phone at Deton'Cho and has no executive decision-making authority at work.

Electoral officer Lynda Comerford said people prohibited from running in the policy are defined as a salary person or a contractor working for the YKDFN or any subsidiaries.

At first, Comerford said she believed salaried meant managerial positions. Once Plotner handed in her forms, however, Comerford doubled-checked with band administration, who told her policy had recently changed and Plotner - even as a receptionist - would be in conflict.

"Regretfully, I had to tell her that she couldn't run due to that clause," she said, adding another candidate was prohibited from running for the same reason.

John Carter, the band's senior administrator, said Plotner would be in an obvious conflict.

"It's just unfortunate that someone had given her the wrong information," he said.

"This is such a self-evident conflict of interest."

"How can you be a receptionist and my employee one minute, and then my councillor and boss the next minute? It's not possible."

Carter used a hypothetical situation - where the band is discussing budget cuts - to illustrate his point. He said Plotner would not be able to talk about employees who would potentially be laid off, as her position could be affected.

Carter said Plotner would frequently have to leave the room in meetings due to conflicts, which would "create problems."

He said the policy used to prohibit only senior management of subsidiary companies from running, but it was changed recently to include all employees.

Plotner said if she was in conflict, she wondered why a candidate running in this election, who receives direct program funding from the band, is not in conflict.

"I think it's kind of a double-standard," she said, although she declined to reveal which candidate was receiving program funding.

When asked about the potential for conflicts if a councillor was receiving funding from the band for programs they put on, Carter said, "Where do you draw the line?"

He stated later the line was simple: "if you are an employee you are not eligible. Period."Plotner said she gets along with pretty much everyone in Dettah, adding she also has a good relationship with the current council.

"I live like a couple kilometres outside of Dettah right now, but I've lived there pretty much my whole life," she said.

She was planning to run on an education platform and to be a liaison for youth issues.

Currently, she said youth tell her they are frustrated about not feeling included in the direction of the band and they're not being heard. She said she thinks some youth feel intimidated to go to council with issues, adding she could listen to those issues and bring them forth.

Five candidates were in the running for three positions in the byelection, scheduled for yesterday.

See Friday's Yellowknifer Friday for results.