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Carole Taylor, a well-known former B.C. politician and business leader, began her career as a television journalist.

A graduate of one of Toronto’s oldest secondary schools, Weston Collegiate, Taylor earned a BA in English at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College.

Taylor began her TV career while in high school with a program for teenagers called After Four, which was broadcast on CFTO in Toronto.

That led to a long-term relationship with CTV, including stints with Canada AM and W5 during which she covered world events such as the Chilean revolution, the Honduran floods and the Yom Kippur war in Israel.

Later, at the CBC, she hosted several shows including Pacific Report, Authors, and Scene from Here and Vancouver Life.

A keen interest in politics, which led to her frequent role as the Prime Minister’s year-end interviewer, prompted her to leave a 20-year career in journalism and run for Vancouver City Council in 1986.

As an independently elected alderman (1986-90) she served as chair of the neighborhood, cultural and community services committee. Topping the polls in the next election, she was named chair of the Greater Vancouver Hospital District and vice-chair of the Vancouver Port Corporation.

She later became chair of the Vancouver Port and was appointed chair of Canada Ports Corporation.

Taylor directed a sweeping overhaul of the governance structure at the Vancouver Port in preparation for the port system’s privatization. The move redefined the port’s relationships and responsibilities bringing it in line with current business standards.

Taylor later became chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade and headed the Spirit of Vancouver Taskforce, charged with revitalizing the partnership between business and the Vancouver community.

In the spring of 2001, Taylor was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. A few months later she was named chair of the board of CBC/Radio Canada and worked passionately towards regional and multicultural representation during a tumultuous time for public broadcasters worldwide.

She returned to politics in 2005, this time, to run provincially for the Liberal party. Elected in the riding of Vancouver-Langara, she was named Minister of Finance.

During her tenure, Taylor delivered four surplus budgets and oversaw historic labour negotiations, culminating with 100 per cent of public sector contracts—affecting more than 300,000 workers—settled before they expired.

Taylor resigned in 2008 and served a year as chair of the national Economic Advisory Council at the height of a world economic crisis.

Taylor currently serves on the board of the TD Bank Financial Group and BCE (Bell Canada). She has also served the boards of HSBC Canada; HSBC North America; Canfor; Canadian Pacific Ltd.; CP Rail; Rogers; Chapters; and Fairmont Hotels.

The recipient of SFU’s 2010 Community Leadership Award (with husband and former Vancouver mayor Art Phillips), Taylor received an honorary degree from SFU in 2002 and subsequent honorary degrees from BCIT, the B.C. Open University and the Justice Institute of B.C.

In 2003, the Women’s Executive Network and the University of Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business named her one of Canada’s most powerful women. She also holds a Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business award and the Canadian Women in Communication (CWC) Trailblazer of the Year award.

She will assume her position as Chancellor at SFU in June 2011 for a three-year term.

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