# Greater Victoria School District Trustee Election The Greater Victoria School District has seven Trustee Electoral Areas. - [Official Website](https://www.sd61.bc.ca/board-of-education/2026-election/) - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 1: Esquimalt Nation]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 2: Songhees Nation]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 3: Highlands / View Royal]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 4: Esquimalt]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 5: Victoria]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 6: Saanich]] - [[#Trustee Electoral Area 7: Oak Bay]] ![[preamble]] ## Trustee Electoral Area 1: Esquimalt Nation One trustee to be elected: - Chésa Abma-Slade - Rob Thomas ## Trustee Electoral Area 2: Songhees Nation - John Rice - Diane Sam ## Trustee Electoral Area 3: Highlands / View Royal - Alexandra Bomphray - Sebastian Horabin ## Trustee Electoral Area 4: Esquimalt - Gwynn Butchart - Andrew Gage ## Trustee Electoral Area 5: Victoria Candidates listed in alphabetical order by family name: - [[#Maiya Beech]] - [[#Angela Carmichael]] - [[#James Le]] - [[#Evan Llewellyn]] - [[#Tanner May-poole]] - [[#James Mcallister]] - [[#Ken Waldron]] - [[#Ann Whiteaker]] ## Maiya Beech - [Party website](https://www.victoriaforall.ca/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/maiyabeech/) ![[election-reply#^candidate-no-reply]] ## Angela Carmichael - [Candidate biography](https://votemate.org/c/13985?riding=804) ![[election-reply#^candidate-no-reply]] ## James Le - [Candidate website](https://elect.jamesle.ca/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jamesleforsd61) > [!success]- Supports a pause on AI in classroom (click to expand) > Statement from James Le: > > My position on AI chatbots in education is that AI chatbots should not be used by students in K-to-12 education at this time, as there appear to be no safety measures or guardrails as to the kind of content, real or imagined, that can be generated. In addition, we are still in the midst of the fallout and aftermath of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy, where a mass shooting resulted in 9 deaths, including that of the shooter, who was reported to have used an AI chatbot to plan the mass shooting; the province has initiated a lawsuit against the company of that chatbot. > > > > I would work to remove or keep out AI chatbots given not just the tragedy, but the oftentimes hilarious and not-so-hilarious errors that they generate. I am someone who enjoys both languages and maps, and seeing the nonsense that chatbots generate when asked to generate maps, in terms of landforms, borders, and place names, is just infuriating at times. > > More information on the candidate's position on AI is available on his [FAQ page](https://elect.jamesle.ca/faq#h.26hypla9f6vg) ## Evan Llewellyn - [Candidate website](https://llewellynforsd61.ca/) - [Candidate biography](https://votemate.org/c/13986?riding=804) > [!warning]- Supports some limits on AI in classrooms (click to expand) > Statement from Evan Llewellyn: > > **Key Message:** Technology needs to be governed effectively. Safeguards are needed. > > > > Artificial intelligence is swiftly becoming part of everyday life and education. I think schools need to slow down the use of AI. > > > > I think the first goal is to put in the appropriate safeguards and measures to effectively manage AI and other technology. Our students need to know about the risks before we start talking about the benefits of this tool. > > > > I use AI in my life and recognise that it is a tool and when used effectively can be beneficial. > > > > Students continue to benefit from opportunities to build foundational skills through independent work, critical thinking, discussion, and written assignments. Clear governance is needed now to help schools balance innovation with student learning, safety, and responsible use of emerging technologies. > > > > My goal is to invite experts from the AI field (university professors) to help the board and staff grapple with this emerging technology for policy development. I would also organise workshops for students to understand the impacts of misinformation and disinformation, deep fakes, and cognitive offloading. > > > > Once a policy is in place, I would consider allowing chat bot usage in Grade 11 & 12. The way I see it, when used effectively it is almost like writing a hypothesis and using high level critical thinking when used effectively - questioning the reasoning and rationale of how AI chatbots came to the conclusion is a vital skill. This all means that proper instruction guidance must be developed to support a teacher and that there is also guidance on non-AI instruction - this cannot become a crutch. > > > > Lastly, I would be very strict on procurement of AI chatbots within the district. > > > > Overall, the conversation starts with safeguards and effective policy. A slow down is needed for effective controls to be established before it is introduced. I do think it needs to be introduced as it is a growing tool in the workforce. ## Tanner May-poole ![[election-reply#^candidate-no-reply]] - [Candidate biography](https://votemate.org/c/13470?riding=804) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/tannermaypoole) ## James Mcallister ![[election-reply#^candidate-no-reply]] ## Ken Waldron > [!success]- Supports a pause on AI in classrooms (click to expand) > Statement From Ken Waldron: > > As a trustee candidate, my position on AI chatbots in education is that at this time there is too much evidence of harm caused and not enough evidence of adequate safeguards to make their use of benefit to students.  > > > > If elected, I would work to remove, or keep out, AI chatbots from classrooms. ## Ann Whiteaker %% [email protected] %% - [Candidate website](www.ann4trustee2026.ca) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/awhiteaker) ![[election-reply#^candidate-no-reply]] ## Trustee Electoral Area 6: Saanich This is different to the [[SD63 Saanich]] school district. - Trevor Barry - Darren Companion - Tracy Humphreys - Samantha Latham ## Trustee Electoral Area 7: Oak Bay James Chaney Piers Macdonald Andrea Mears