Len Taylor has been the NDP MLA for the Battlefords since 2003, but he has been part of the political scene in the area for much longer.
The former Battlefords News-Optimist reporter left journalism behind for a political career in 1988 when he won the federal riding of Battlefords-Meadow Lake for the NDP. He held onto the seat until 1997, when he lost to then Reform candidate Gerry Ritz.
Soon after he moved into municipal politics as a city councillor in North Battleford before winning a seat in the legislature in 2003. Since then he served several positions in both Premier Lorne Calvert's cabinet as minister of governmental relations and minister of health, and in opposition leader Dwain Lingenfelter's shadow cabinet, most recently on the enterprise and the highways files.
He was also briefly interim leader of the Opposition during the period when Lingenfelter was seeking a seat in the legislature following his election to the leadership.
His electoral career has been notable for close races against high-profile opponents. His victory in 1988 came over then MP and now radio talk show host John Gormley. In the 1993 federal vote, one of the people he defeated was PC candidate and now Saskatchewan Party cabinet minister Ken Cheveldayoff. When he moved to provincial politics in 2003 he knocked off Jack Hillson, the sitting Liberal MLA.
"This is the seventh time my name's been on a ballot," said Taylor.
In his six previous races, he has won five out of six times, including a successful municipal race for city council in between his federal and provincial roles.
Taylor sees a number of issues as important in this vote. First of all, he says, he is supportive of the provincial campaign leader Dwain Lingenfelter is running and the policies being outlined, such as proposals "that there is a benefit from the strong resource economy that we have for everybody."
"I support a platform that will focus on affordable rents of housing, that will focus on a review of our potash revenues and the development of a review based future fund to ensure that the benefits of our resource revenues achieved today will be there for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
On a more local level, he is still concerned about the building of a new Saskatchewan Hospital.
"We still don't have a formal budget commitment for the reconstruction, and whoever our MLA is is going to have to watch very closely to ensure that there is budgeted money available when Prairie North needs it to begin construction."
He says he is also concerned that lack of housing might be an impediment to growth in the Battlefords.
"We need to ensure that the provincial government has a program that ensures affordable housing, affordable rents and incentive programs for new construction of affordable properties," he said.
A third major focus of his campaign will be on "effective representation," he said.
"I have a proven track record. I have been effective in the representation I have provided in government and in opposition. And that track record that I have will be very useful to the Battlefords in the next four years regardless of whether I'm in government or opposition."
Taylor anticipates a competitive race in the Battlefords and says he anticipates party leader Lingenfelter will make his way to the riding to lend support, possibly early on in the campaign.
Taylor's NDP campaign office is now open, located on 100th Street in North Battleford next to Four K Auto and across from 7-11.
