British Columbia & Yukon

British Columbia and the Yukon Electoral Region

The British Columbia and the Yukon will elect three Councillors.  


◄ Back to Council Elections 2018

  • Read Scott's Statement

    Scott Bellis

    Scott Bellis

    Scott Bellis

    Hello friends,

    It’s been a satisfying and productive year serving as the first Council President of our Association from a western province! I am throwing my name in again to continue that work and provide clear and collaborative leadership at the Council table. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of the improvements we have made to Equity’s harassment policies, disciplinary procedures, and workspace environments, and I look forward to seeing more changes in the future.

    I have had correspondence this year with more than 300 members across the country, and I am convinced that Equity has more to offer the membership. My goals for the next Council include increasing member engagement (I want to hear from you!), improving access to our agreements for independent member producers, and continuing to find ways to generate more respect and empowerment for theatre artists in their workspaces. I want to help steer Equity into a quickly changing future. Thanks for your support.

  • Read Nyla's Statement

    Nyla Carpentier

    Nyla Carpentier

    Nyla Carpentier

    My name is Nyla Carpentier; I'm of the Tahltan and Kaska First Nation as well as French and Scottish. I'm running for Councillor to help those who are new to Equity navigate the organization as I know how overwhelming it can be. As well, I want to continue to promote diversity and inclusion within Equity. There has been a lot of change happening in our cultural landscape so it's important to have representation that is able to respond to these changes. I like to serve my artistic community and want to bring a fresh voice to Council. Please click on the video for more detail.

  • Read Kerry's Statement

    Kerry Davidson

    Kerry Davidson

    Kerry Davidson

    I have been a professional Actor and active community member for over 20 years. I’ve sat on the board for the Jessie Awards, volunteered for organizations like Theatre Cares and PAL, and recently nominated the Actors’ Fund (AFC) for Equity’s Award of Distinction.

    From 2003 to 2015 I was proud to represent the BC and Yukon region as a Councillor for Equity. I served as Equity’s Treasurer and then First Vice-President, and volunteered on a number of committees: RRSP/Insurance, Finance, Honours, Diversity, and Member Outreach. 

    Throughout, I have been a passionate advocate for our region and membership:

    • I organized the first face-to-face meeting of regional advisory chairs because I believe that communication and connection are vital to our organization. 
    • I introduced policy making it mandatory for members in our region to be included in discussions that could jeopardize the future of our western office.
    • I’ve recently pushed for Equity to find a way to include counselling/psychotherapy as part of our insurance because I believe members’ health must include mental health.

    This year I am running for Council because I believe our industry needs more women in leadership positions - I want to see more women on our stages, I want to see more women in our boardrooms.

  • Read Nick's Statement

    Nick Fontaine

    Nick Fontaine

    Nick Fontaine

    I am proud to be an artist on the West Coast, and have decided to get more involved this year and put my name forward as a Council candidate. As a member representative, I believe I can bring an open mind to the table. I hope to be able to bring the many and varied ideas and opinions of membership to Council, rather than acting on a personal agenda. In particular, I would like to be involved in member engagement - getting current members engaged, and potential members informed - as well as the Not In OUR Space! initiative, which is important and will continue to be in the years ahead.

  • Read Chirag's Statement

    Chirag Naik

    Chirag Naik

    Chirag Naik

    Hello to my fellow members!

    You may or may not know me. To give you an idea, I’m the young actor who has volunteered to be deputy on 4 of the last 5 shows I’ve been a part of. As a young member within the union my experiences have been largely positive. That being said, I often hear varying degrees of difficulty from fellow actors regarding their relationship with the union. I’ve found myself questioning this gap in experiences frequently. Where are the difficulties? And more importantly, what can be done to resolve them? I want to learn where the issues lie and I want to be a part of the ever adapting and necessary changes moving forward to best benefit us all. Help me address these issues, I want to be a Council member you can reach out to and speak to about your issues. Thank you and I humbly ask for your trust and honesty to help progress our union!

  • Read Michael's Statement

    Michael Shamata

    Michael Shamata

    Michael Shamata

    As a freelance director and Artistic Director I have worked from coast-to-coast-to-coast, and like most directors and Artistic Directors, I am a member of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. I am currently the Artistic Director of the Belfry Theatre in Victoria, a former Artistic Director of
    Theatre New Brunswick and the Grand in London, have extensive experience as a freelancer, and an understanding of the needs of many of our members.

    Past experience on Equity Council and the PACT Board, has given me a valuable perspective on the relationship between the two associations, and their overlapping needs. The challenges of creating theatre in these rapidly changing times can best be resolved by our two associations working together. I believe I can contribute to improving this relationship.

    I believe in a Council that is responsive to our members’ needs and representative of their voices. There is value in examining Council’s governance model to ensure that it addresses the needs of our existing members, our expanding membership, and our potential new members – many of whom are currently reluctant to join an association that they perceive as restrictive. A different model might better serve our membership and bring in new members.

    Because our Association should be an ever-evolving entity, I want to be at the table and contribute to change.

  • Read Raugi's Statement

    Raugi Yu

    Raugi Yu

    Raugi Yu

    My name is Raugi Yu, and I am currently a Councillor for the British Columbia  & Yukon region of Equity. In September 2017, a Councillor resigned and because I was the runner-up in that election, I took their place. Since then, I have been learning and speaking up as a diverse member of our community. Now, I am seeking re-election.

    I feel I am the right candidate to represent the region to help members understand how Equity Council works. I think we need more diverse faces and voices around the table to offer different perspectives and experiences. Please elect me and allow me to be one of those diverse voices for you. Thank you.