About Area 79

The BC/Yukon Delegate Area 79 includes the Yukon Territory, most of British Columbia and one small section of Washington. At 1,431,250 square kilometres, it is the second largest Delegate Area in Canada/USA. Area 79 includes Districts that are of equal size to the states of Mississippi and Maryland combined, not to mention Districts that are as big as the third-largest state in the US, smaller only than Texas and Alaska. From the southernmost tip of British Columbia to the northernmost tip of the Yukon Territory is a staggering 2,540km/1,587 mi.

A trip from Vancouver to Prince Rupert is just under 1/4 the length of Area 79 geographically (789km/493 mi.). However, actual road travel comes in at twice this length due to navigating around vast mountain ranges, rivers and lakes. This extends the trip to approximately 20 hours and 1,516km/947 mi., the equivalent of Vancouver to San Francisco. BC/Yukon has many Districts and groups that are only serviceable by ferry, small plane, boat or even snowmobile.

The members of Alcoholics Anonymous are represented in this Area by over 800 groups in 48 Districts. The groups in each District elect a District Committee Member (DCM) to be their representative on the Area Committee. The General Service Committee (GSC) has 14 members who also sit on the Area Committee, and who serve as Area Officers. In addition, there are 12 Standing Committees, each chaired by a member of the GSC, that report to the Area Committee.

The BC/Yukon Area Committee meets 4 times annually, at Quarterlies and Assemblies. A schedule of Area Meetings is posted under the Events / Quarterlies and Assemblies, elsewhere on the website, along with a detailed meeting information and agenda package for the upcoming meeting.

BC/Yukon Area 79 Service Structure

The Area 79 Committee

Perhaps more than any other group of people in A.A., the Area Committee is responsible for the health of the Conference structure and thus for growth and harmony in the A.A. Fellowship. If G.S.R.s are lax, if there is a lack of harmony in a district, if there are difficulties in public information or some other service area, the committee member knows it and can turn to the full committee for help.

An active Area Committee deals with all kinds of service problems: Is experience being shared among groups? Is the A.A. message getting into hospitals, prisons, jails, and rehabilitation centers? Are news media and professionals who deal with suffering alcoholics well informed about A.A.? Are new groups and Loners being visited and helped? (Chapter 5 of the Service Manual)

Committee Composition

The Area 79 Committee is made up of the 48 District Committee Members (DCMs) in the Area, or their alternates, plus the 14 members of the General Service Committee (GSC). All members of the Area Committee are eligible to vote at Area Meetings (Quarterlies and Assemblies).

The General Service Committee

The GSC reports to, and takes direction from, the full Area 79 Committee. It has 14 members, consisting of 7 elected Area Officers and 7 appointed Officers, who sit as chairs of designated Area Standing Committees. GSC members serve two-year terms in keeping with the Conference Panel rotation.

Elected Members

Seven Area Officers are elected, in even numbered years, at the October meeting of the full Area Committee (the Election Assembly). They are:

Further information about each of these positions, contact information and a job description are provided on their individual web pages, in the Elected Area Officers section of the website.

Appointed Members

12 Area 79 Standing Committees report to the Area Committee:

Chairs of seven of these committees are appointed by the Area Chair, and ratified by the Area Committee, following the election of Area Officers (above). These appointed Area Officers are also members of the GSC and of the Area Committee. Five of the Standing Committees are chaired by designated members of the GSC.

Details of the roles and of responsibilities of each of the of the Standing Committees, as well as contact information and a job description for the chairperson, are available on the individual committee pages, in the Standing Committees section of the website.

Support Positions: The following, non-voting appointees also serve the Area Committee:

Web Team Volunteers
Archivist

Each of these appointments are ratified by the GSC. Further information, an Outline of Responsibilities or Job Description, and contact information are available on the respective Website Committee and Area 79 Archives website pages.

Area 79 Committee Meetings

The Full Area 79 Committee

The BC/Yukon Area Committee meets four times annually, at Quarterlies (January and July) and Assemblies (April and October), held across Area 79. Locations for these meetings are chosen, for the following year, at the April Pre-Conference Assembly. A schedule of Area Meetings is posted under the Events / Quarterlies and Assemblies tab, on this website. As the date of a meeting approaches, detailed information and the meeting agenda is posted in the meeting’s listing on the Quarterlies and Assemblies page.

Area Quarterlies are attended by all DCMs, and/or their Alternates, and the members of the GSC. Although General Service Representatives (GSRs) do not have a vote at Quarterlies, they most certainly have a voice and are also encouraged to attend.

All AA members are encouraged to attend Area Assemblies, to have a voice and become familiar with the issues being discussed. GSRs (or alternates), DCMs (or alternates) and Area Officers are eligible to vote and present motions.

All Area matters that either have an effect on the Area itself, or a direct impact on all the Groups, whether raised on the floor of an Assembly or coming out of the Area Committee process, are presented and ratified, rejected or revised by the Area Assembly. The main activities usually center around the Delegate and Area concerns, the Conference, sharing sessions and/or workshops. We become informed about what is going on by attending these meetings and discussing issues with others who are in a good position to have experience and information to share on most matters of interest. In this way, the Assemblies meet their purpose in strengthening AA as a whole by carrying our message in the best way possible for our Area.

[Please see their respective links for additional information about Area 79 Quarterlies and Assemblies .]

THE GENERAL SERVICE COMMITTEE (GSC):

The GSC normally meets on a monthly basis, usually at the Area 79 office in Vancouver or in conjunction with the Area Quarterlies and Assemblies.

THE STANDING COMMITTEES:

At the beginning of the 2-year term of the Area Committee, each DCM is assigned to sit on one of the area’s Standing Committees. These committees meet during each area Quarterly and Assembly; DCMs may also participate in Committee activities between meetings. GSRs who attend Quarterlies and Assemblies are assigned to committees on a random basis. Other members may normally attend the committee of their choice, except at the Pre-Conference Assembly, when all attendees are assigned to a specific committee. More detailed information about each of the committees may be found in the Standing Committees section of the website.