Anne Tayler is the new Yukon NDP candidate in Lake Laberge for the coming territorial election, replacing Bud McCue.
In a statement, McCue said he had to withdraw from the campaign due to family obligations.
Tayler is a long-time member of the NDP, and worked behind the scenes on the last territorial election and with NDP candidate Melissa Atkinson during last fall’s federal election.
“It’s a pretty important time for the territory, so when Bud had to withdraw, I stepped forward,” she said.
Tayler said she’s interested in economic development that isn’t as vulnerable to the boom-and-bust cycles of the resource extraction industry.
She said she’d like to see more investment in educational opportunities in the Yukon.
“Education is one of the best long-term investments you can make in terms of job creation,” she said.
She’d also like to see more jobs created in the renewable energy sector.
Tayler is a co-founder of Raven Recycling, the non-profit recycling centre in Whitehorse. The centre’s current executive director has said Raven Recycling is in a precarious financial position, particularly after the City of Whitehorse cancelled a planned curbside recycling program earlier this year. The centre also shut down temporarily in 2014 due to a lack of funds.
Tayler said the Yukon government needs to develop a longer-term waste management plan to help provide stability.
“Nothing changes until it gets so bad that they have to shut down,” she said.
Tayler co-owns Muktuk Adventures Sled Dog Adventures with her husband, Frank Turner, who ran for the NDP in Lake Laberge in 2011. She has worked as education director with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and has taught at Yukon College. She was executive director of the Yukon Arts Council, and has also volunteered with the Guild Hall, the Frostbite Music Festival and the Yukon Quest. She also co-founded the Yukon International Storytelling Festival.
Tayler will be campaigning against incumbent Yukon Party MLA Brad Cathers and Alan Young for the Liberals.
Though she’s late to the race, she said her many years living in the area will help.
“I have the advantage of understanding the campaign and the riding, so that does help me.”
The NDP has a candidate in every riding except for Vuntut Gwitchin, which includes Old Crow. The party confirmed to the News last week that a candidate had put his name forward to run in Old Crow, but he has since withdrawn.
The Yukon Party and the Liberals have full slates of candidates as the election campaign gets underway.
Yukoners will go to the polls Nov. 7.
Contact Maura Forrest at maura.forrest@yukon-news.com