Aboriginal woman is 1st to run as Edmonton school trustee

EDMONTON, AB—The public school board election race is just warming up in Edmonton, but already it has become an historic one.

Teacher Karen Pheasant kicked off her campaign on June 3 as the first aboriginal woman to run for the board.

“It’s a time for change,” she said at a Westmount restaurant. “It’s a time for community participation.”

Pheasant is about to embark on her PhD at the University of Alberta.

“I do take a different perspective at education,” she said. “What we need (is) a more holistic-based education.

“I have strong concerns when we lose art programs; when we lose extra-curricula...