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Elaine Taylor seeks fourth term in Whitehorse West

Deputy premier Elaine Taylor has announced she plans to seek re-election in Whitehorse West during this year’s territorial election.

Deputy premier Elaine Taylor has announced she plans to seek re-election in Whitehorse West during this year’s territorial election.

Taylor was first elected in 2002, and is the longest continuously serving cabinet minister in Yukon history.

She is currently the tourism and culture minister and the minister responsible for the Women’s Directorate and the French Language Services Directorate.

She has previously served as minister of community services, education, environment and justice.

“For me, it’s almost like putting forward my name for the very first time back in 2002,” she said. “Running for re-election, it’s a real privilege to serve on behalf of the people.”

Since 2002, she said, part of her work has been to manage population growth in her riding.

To that end, she’s worked on the extension of Hamilton Boulevard, the completion of a new emergency response centre and the development of neighbourhood parks.

As tourism minister, she said, she’s proud of the made-in-Yukon tourism commercials that have “served to help raise awareness of the Yukon as a destination of choice for travel.”

Taylor is currently the only female cabinet minister, and one of only two female Yukon Party MLAs. She said she’s glad to see more female candidates coming forward this year.

“I think that that’s a very good sign, and I certainly hope that there are more women elected after the next election,” she said. “I think the perfect government would be to have equal parity representative of those that we represent.”

Taylor won her riding in 2011 with 58 per cent of the vote, one of the strongest showings in the territory. But she said she won’t take any votes for granted this time around.

“I always go into these elections as if I’m in dead last place,” she said. “So I’ll continue to work and bang on as many doors as I can, as I have each and every year in my riding, and continue to be accessible to everyone.”

Former Yukon News editor Richard Mostyn is the Liberal candidate in Whitehorse West. The NDP has yet to announce a candidate for the riding.

Contact Maura Forrest at maura.forrest@yukon-news.com