They wanted to know why their chief will leave before his term is finished. They also wanted to know about their soon-to-be ex-leader’s new job with an oil-pipeline company.

Albert Gerow, who is resigning as chief of the Burns Lake Band, had an opportunity to talk about these things at a December 17 band council meeting. But according to Coun. Ron Charlie, Gerow—husband of Victoria–Beacon Hill MLA and former B.C. NDP leader Carole James—provided no answers.

“He acted as if nothing was happening,” Charlie told the Straight by phone. “It was a pretty sad meeting.”

Gerow is stepping down on December 31. He has accepted a job with TransCanada Pipelines Limited, according to a report by the Burns Lake District News. TransCanada wants to build the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to the U.S.

In May of this year, Gerow endorsed exploration work for another pipeline project, Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway, which his wife’s political party opposes. (That pipeline was recommended for federal approval by the Joint Review Panel on December 19.)

“He never discussed his resignation nor his job that he took with TransCanada,” Charlie said.

Charlie and 12 other members and nonmembers of the band were sued for defamation by Gerow and two others.

Former band councillor Ryan Tibbetts, a lawsuit defendant, attended the December 17 meeting. Tibbetts said that an explanation from Gerow at that meeting of his decision not to finish his term would have been a “commonsense thing to do”.

“But he didn’t even do that,” Tibbetts said by phone.

Gerow did not respond to requests from the Straight for comment before deadline.