Eileen Taylor has become the 6th person to enter the United Conservative Party nomination contest for the new Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright electoral riding. Eileen is a former teacher and the wife of retiring Battle River-Wainwright UCP MLA Wes Taylor. Wes Taylor announced in May 2018 that he would not be seeking re-election because he is focusing on recovering from open heart surgery. Wes and Eileen live in Wainwright and, in addition to bringing up three children, Eileen has had a 23 year career as a teacher, been a successful Realtor and currently, along with her husband, own and operate businesses in Wainwright. Having been married to a MLA, Eileen has seen first-hand the commitment required. She said “Nothing can fully prepare a person for the high tempo and multi-faceted role of an MLA, but after being encouraged to run by constituents from every corner of this riding, Eileen decided that she was up to the challenge, and was willing to make the necessary sacrifices to rebuild Alberta and bring back the Alberta Advantage. “I want my children and grandchildren to grow up in a province of opportunity.” Eileen is in fighting mood when it comes to the damage inflicted on Albertans by the current government. She said: “Bill 6 (Farmers) and Bill 20 (Carbon Tax) are thinly disguised attacks on Albertans and the Albertan way of life. Albertans are able to withstand the challenges coming at them from world markets, but it is the attacks from the ideology of our own government that has hurt Albertans most. I am delighted to hear the UCP leader, Jason Kenney, talk about a “Summer of Repeal” in which these two Bills, along with many others will be repealed.” Asked what her priorities are Eileen said she is focusing on four things: 1. Balancing the Budget 2. Creating Jobs and Building the Economy 3. Reforming the Education System 4. Reducing unnecessary regulation Eileen believes that her passion for balancing the provincial budget comes from owning and operating several small businesses. She understands finance and the cost of debt. Eileen says that it won’t be easy but she believes we can balance the provincial budget by stopping unnecessary spending and finding efficiencies. “To create jobs and build the economy we are going to have to establish a business friendly environment that can attract investment, eliminate unnecessary regulation, and encourage entrepreneurs to start new businesses.” In regards to the debt Eileen said: “We must ensure our children are not saddled with the burden created by reckless NDP fiscal policies. It is imperative that we balance our budget and pay down the debt. By the NDP’s own projections we will be saddled with over $90 Billion Dollars in debt by 2023 while paying $4 billion annually in interest payments.” As a Teacher, Eileen is passionate about education. “During my teaching career I witnessed first-hand the destruction of an Education system that was once ranked #2 in the world. Fundamental education standards must be re-introduced. This, coupled with the teaching of critical thinking skills and financial literacy will produce young adults able to function effectively in a modern society”. She believes we must halt the implementation of the new curriculum and review it in order to increase emphasis on basic essentials such as literacy and numeracy. The UCP nomination contest is likely to take place towards the end of the year.