Image: B.C. Green Party / Aaron Bayes, a Fraser Valley resident who enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in countries like Iraq and Kuwait, has been selected as the B.C. Green Party MLA candidate for the Abbotsford-Mission riding.
Provincial election

U.S. Army vet who served in Iraq to run for B.C. Green Party in the Fraser Valley

Sep 23, 2024 | 3:04 PM

ABBOTSFORD — A Fraser Valley resident who enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in countries like Iraq and Kuwait has been selected as the B.C. Green Party MLA candidate for the Abbotsford-Mission riding.

According to the B.C. Green Party candidate website, Aaron Bayes was born and raised in the Abbotsford-Mission area. After high school, Bayes joined the U.S. Army and worked as an infantryman and analyst. His military service brought him to places like Kuwait, Iraq and the United States, including New Orleans, Louisiana during the Hurricane Katrina response. When Bayes returned home to Canada, he earned a degree in psychology from the University of the Fraser Valley where he participated in student government and community volunteerism.

Bayes currently manages a small campground in British Columbia, integrating his love for the great outdoors with what the B.C. Green Party calls his “growing concerns about the increasing threat of wildfires.”

“Having faced wildfires near his property in three out of the past four summers, Aaron has become a volunteer wildland firefighter and structure protection specialist, demonstrating his deep commitment to protecting his community,” his biography states.

Bayes has previously worked with Elections BC and Elections Canada. The party says his skills are evident through his role as president of Vancouver’s “VancouFur” convention, which has flourished under his supervision.

“Aaron understands the urgency of addressing the affordability crisis that has pushed many, including himself, out of the housing market. His goal as a BC Green Party candidate is to ensure that the Abbotsford-Mission riding remains a vibrant and accessible community for everyone, through policies focused on sustainability, housing, and protecting natural spaces,” the party said.

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