Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Jan 06/06) - Jan van der Veen has thrown his hat into the federal election, running as an independent for the Western Arctic riding.

After deliberating for a few months about running, the Fort Simpson resident said he committed himself because none of the southern parties are addressing the inequalities in relations between territories and provinces, aboriginals and non-aboriginals, and amongst aboriginals.

If elected, Van der Veen would push the Northwest Territories towards becoming a province.

"When no one ran on those issues I decided what the heck," he said.

This is van der Veen's third attempt at running for office. In the 1993 and 1997 elections he ran as a Reform party candidate in St. Thomas, Ontario. Despite not winning, his enthusiasm hasn't dampened.

With only three weeks before the election, van der Veen is focusing on getting flyers and ads out in communities.

He is facing four other candidates: Liberal Ethel Blondin-Andrew, New Democrat Dennis Bevington, Conservative Richard Edjericon and Green Alex Beaudin.