Aboriginal activist to run for Vision :: The Hook

A long-time community activist hopes to become what he believes is the first person from the Aboriginal community to be elected in Vancouver city politics.

Ken Clement, executive director of Healing our Spirit B.C. Aboriginal HIV/AIDS society, will run for a school board slot with Vision Vancouver.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had an Aboriginal person on school board, park board or city council,” Clement said.

Clement said his candidacy is the result of meetings with executives from Aboriginal groups around the city.

“We felt it was time to have our voices heard,” he said. “There has never been an Aboriginal voice in city politics. I think the time is right for the Aboriginal community to step forward to present a lot of our issues.”