By Tan Mei Xi
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Green Party candidate for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Kelly Tatham admits to being new to the issues that concern the Downtown Eastside, but asserts that the bold ideas she brings are needed for the riding and province.

"I'm deeply, deeply concerned about the state of the world," said Tatham. "The system has been designed to keep people like me out, people with radical ideas, people who are community-oriented."

She admits that she doesn't have deep roots in the Downtown Eastside. "I've been watching and paying attention... I'm new to the issues there firsthand and I'm learning a lot. What I'm most interested in as the MLA is to talk to the experts and to the people on the ground.

Tatham said that her top three priorities are "housing as a human right", participatory democracy, and regenerative agriculture.

Tatham is running against incumbent and NDP candidate Melanie Mark and Liberal candidate George Vassilas. The election will be held on October 24.