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Victoria councillor faces criticism over suggestion to bill military for Remembrance Day

Isitt compares media coverage to an effort from those with a corporate, alt-right, neofascist agenda
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At city hall on Thursday council voted to reach out to the Department of National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Canada to “recover costs associate with military events in the city.” (File photo)

A Victoria city councillor is facing criticism after forwarding an amendment to request funding from the Department of National Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Canada for funding for military events, such as Victoria Day and Remembrance Day.

Coun. Ben Isitt forwarded the amendment to a motion that was discussed at a committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, June 6.

The original motion was in regards to granting funding from the contingency to the Victoria Police Department for upcoming events, including Canada Day, Pride, and Symphony Splash.

READ MORE:Victoria agrees to fund Canada Day, special event policing – calls on feds to cover military events

It prompted Isitt to call into question why Victoria was paying for celebrations enjoyed by the whole region.

The motion to reach out to DND and VAC was passed in a five-to-three vote, but Isitt has been taking most of the backlash, especially in light that the decision was made on the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

In response, Isitt penned an angry letter which he posted on medium.com, comparing the discussion and ensuing media coverage to an effort from those with a corporate, alt-right, neofascist agenda. He chose to use a Second World War, anti-Nazi propaganda poster as the image for his post.

ALSO: Victoria Police Department requests cash to cover Canada Day

In the blog, Isitt said it was unfortunate that the timing came together on D-Day.

“More unfortunate, however, is the nefarious ways in which conservative political forces and their agents in the corporate media have chosen to distort Victoria City Council’s benign request for assistance from federal authorities, into a supposed affront to war veterans,” Isitt wrote.

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