Ben Isitt

Summary of Mr. Justice Thompson’s Reasons for Judgement in Teal Cedar Products Ltd. v. Rainforest Flying Squad, 2021 BCSC 1903 Issued at Nanaimo, BC, September 28, 2021...Continue reading

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RCMP CONDUCT AT FAIRY CREEK The BC government has responsibility for policing in the province, including conduct of members of the Provincial Police Force (RCMP E Division) against individuals protesting logging of the last unprotected stands of old-growth rainforest on Vancouver Island. Powers of the Solicitor General of British Columbia and the BC Cabinet include:...Continue reading

This powerful new song calls for Premier John Horgan and everyone to do their part to protect coastal rainforests -- the lungs of the Province -- offering the best hope of surviving in the new normal of drought, wildfires and global heating. After more than 700 arrests of otherwise law-abiding citizens on the barricades at Fairy Creek, and at least $10-million of public expenditures in a bid to extract an estimated $16-million of old-growth trees, perhaps it is time to hit the pause button and assess what truly matters -- suspending all harvesting permits for the scattered remnants of Vancouver Island's once abundant old-growth rainforests.

It's time for leadership to upgrade, electrify and reactivate Vancouver Island's rail infrastructure. "Every kilometer of track is active climate protection."

I’ve voted orange in every election, but this time around I’m aligning my ballot with the urgency of the climate and ecological crises. There are no jobs on a dead planet. We need to protect, rather than liquidate, the last stands of carbon-sequestering old-growth rainforests on Vancouver Island. We need to wind down, rather than subsidize, climate-changing oil and gas industries with a just transition for impacted workers and communities, and with respect for Indigenous ri...ghts and title. This election, I’m personally supporting Jenn Neilson as the next MLA for Victoria Beacon Hill to provide a strong voice for climate justice and social justice in the legislative assembly, helping build a more inclusive, more sustainable province and world. - Ben Isitt, Victoria City Councillor

Since April, I've been volunteering several hours of my time each week with the Red Cedar Cafe's not-for-profit Community Meal Program, meeting community needs while combatting social isolation and economic insecurity. We've reached an important milestone today 30,0000 meals coinciding with the six-month anniversary of our operations. Please contribute what you can and share this message to help keep this community service going. Thank you!

Statement from Ben Isitt regarding the British Columbia Provincial Election September 29, 2020... I have received inquiries from supporters, residents and members of the media regarding my intentions in the current provincial election. To lay this speculation to rest, I am announcing that I will continue to do the job that I have been elected to do stand up for people and the planet as a City Councillor and Regional Director in Victoria, BC. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed glaring gaps in our social and economic fabric and the necessity of progressive representation at all levels of government to push for equality and climate justice. I intend to continue working with grassroots community members and organizations, and counterparts in provincial and federal office, to build a more inclusive, sustainable community here in Lekwungen territory and beyond. I will be supporting progressive candidates in this provincial election who share the vision of a society that replaces colonization, climate chaos, capitalism and relations of dog-eat-dog exploitation with more balanced relationships.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE City Councillors call for Victoria to Keep Growing September 28, 2020... Victoria, BC, Lekwungen TerritoryBuilding on the success of the innovative municipal program Get Growing, Victoria which saw 81,000 vegetable starts grown in municipal greenhouses and distributed to residents since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic Victoria City Councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday are calling on the city to make the program permanent. The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated gaps in our local food system and in our social and economic fabric, says Isitt, who originally proposed the program with Loveday in a report to City Council weeks into the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020. Get Growing, Victoria has been a big success, supporting community members in building a more resilient local food system. Since City Council approved the proposal in March, City of Victoria staff worked with stakeholders in the Urban Food Table to identify species appropriate for planting, procured seed from local suppliers, grew 81,000 vegetable starts in municipal greenhouses at Beacon Hill Park, and distributed the plants to residents in partnership with 42 community organizations. The City also provided gardening materials like mulch to residents and helped develop educational resources on food gardening with community partners. Food security isn’t just an issue we should care about during a pandemic, says Loveday, who with Isitt is proposing that the program be made permanent in a report being considered by City Council on October 1st. Municipalities can play an important role in ensuring people have access to everything they need to begin to grow their own food. For more information on the Get Growing, Victoria program, visit: https://www.victoria.ca//re/parks/growing-in-the-city.html. -30- For further information, contact: Ben Isitt, Victoria City Councillor, 250-882-9302 Jeremy Loveday, Victoria City Councillor, 250-634-2327

Excited to see this book move toward publication, co-authored with legal scholar Ravi Malhotra, highlighting the forgotten story of political activist and double-amputee E.T. Kingsley. Thanks to all the research assistants and others who’ve contributed toward the project and to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for providing funds toward research and publication costs. The book is scheduled to be published by UBC Press in the Spring of 2021.

Minor construction work is ongoing but the two-way protected bike lane and new crosswalk on Harbour Road are open for use! Later this month, we’ll announce the official opening. Until then, follow public health advice on outdoor activity and enjoy these features once the air clears.

I've made a donation this morning to help sustain the operations of the Red Cedar Café, including during a potential second wave of the pandemic. I hope you will contribute what you can and help spread the word widely, to help this not-for-profit community meal program meet its fundraising goal of $50,000 for the next three months of operations.

Awesome news for the local enterprise economy! Let’s hope this pandemic can trigger the decline of corporate behemoths everywhere, to end the vacuuming of profits out of local communities, and nurture sustainable local enterprise with strong labour and environmental standards.

What an awesome distribution day today! Thanks to all the kitchen and delivery volunteers who made it happen. More than 900 meals delivered to 300 households, i...ncluding 130 meals to the unhoused population of the city and more than 50 meals to residents of supportive housing operated by the Portland Hotel Society, Pacific Housing and the Victoria Cool Aid Society. Step by step, we're improving access to healthy, tasty food for community members in need. See more

My heart is full! #blacklivesmatter! #Victoria

We've partnered with over 30 non-profit organizations to distribute 50,000 vegetable and herb seedlings as a part of Get Growing, Victoria! This includes partne...rships with 11 neighbourhood organizations acting as your local seedling distribution hubs. Thanks to Oaklands Community Association, Fernwood NRG and Burnside Gorge Community Association for their community distribution days this past weekend. If you are looking for free seedlings, there are still 8 more distribution days left! Check them in each neighbourhood, this week only! Monday - North Park in Franklin Green Tuesday - James Bay Community School Centre Wednesday - Fairfield Gonzales Community Association Wednesday - Quadra Village Community Centre Friday - Rockland Neighbourhood at Government House Friday - Victoria West Community Association Saturday - Yates Street Community Garden (downtown) Saturday - South Jubilee Neighbourhood Association at Bank Street School For more details on dates, locations and times, check out: victoria.ca/growinginthecity. : Mila Czemerys from Fernwood NRG

* ANNOUNCEMENT * Red Cedar Café distributes 5000th free meal in response to pandemic Not-for-profit meal program emerged to help seniors and people in need ... June 4, 2020 Victoria, BCThe Red Cedar Café, the not-for-profit community meal program founded in April 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, is reaching a milestone today, Thursday June 4, distributing the 5000th free meal to community members in need. We formed as a grassroots community initiative in April 2020 to ensure that people in our community have access to healthy, tasty food during this challenging and extraordinary time, says Liz Maze, a volunteer and Community Relations Coordinator with the Red Cedar Café. Over the past seven weeks, we have scaled up our operations aided by volunteers and community partners to distribute more than 1000 free, healthy meals every week, says Maze. Today, we are distributing our 5000th free meal, along with several hundred additional meals throughout the region from our team of kitchen volunteers and volunteer drivers. The Red Cedar Café was founded by hospitality industry professionals and community leaders in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and associated economic hardship, to prepare and distribute healthy meals to seniors, people in self-isolation and other community members in need. Operated out of a store-front location at 537 Johnson Street (the former Willie’s Bakery), the program has grown from 200 meals per week in April to more than 1200 meals this week. The program is fueled by a team of 160 volunteers and donations of raw ingredients and funds, aided by partnerships with organizations including Khalsa Aid Canada, Fairway Market, Saanich Organics, Topsoil, Whole Foods, the Food Share Network, the Topaz Avenue and Cecelia Road Gurdwaras, Patisserie Daniel, Cobs Bakery, Irene’s Bakery, the Fairfield-Gonzales Community Association and the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resources Group. Referrals from agencies including the Vancouver Island Health Authority and Esquimalt First Nation have extended the reach of the program, including to residents of social housing facilities operated by BC Housing, the Victoria Cool Aid Society and Pacifica Housing. The program also delivers 300 hot meals weekly to the unhoused population of the region. We are heartened by the outpouring of community support, volunteer labour and donations, expanding our healthy meal program to as many community members as possible, says Maze. As we distribute our 5000th free meal today, we look ahead to the Covid-19 recovery and how we can strengthen community connections to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food and other essentials for living a good and healthy life. -30- For further information, please contact: Liz Maze, Community Relations Coordinator, Red Cedar Café, 250-508-2218 MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Thursday June 4 @ 4:00 pm, 537 Johnson Street, for distribution of 5000th free meal www.RedCedarCafe.ca

#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter #IndigenousLivesMatter

I often hear all lives matter or I don’t see color. I want to emphasize that black lives matter is not a term of confrontation but rather an opportunity to refl...ect on the historical and contemporary realities of black people in this country. As a former refugee I am a benefactor of the freedom movements that paved the way for equitable treatment in this country and for a long time black lives didn't matter - it’s past time to change that. This is why I have to contribute my voice and use my platform to amplify the voices and our demands of black people and indigenous and people of colour. In my opinion, when we say all lives matter - it is understandable but it undermines the very real violence directed towards black people. We have to call this violence for what it is and demand that black life is seen as fully human. When we say I don’t see color, we ignore the historical and generational inequalities and injustices that led to our current situation. It denies how certain communities are disadvantaged and that there are harmful practices (implicit and explicit biases) that disproportionately affect black and BIPOC communities. Anti-black, anti-indigenous and in recent months growing anti Chinese attitudes are damaging. Our struggle and liberation is linked. We don’t say black lives matter to feel good but to act and advance black communities causes, such as hiring practices and to address other barriers to equity. We need broader social and systematic change. We as a community need a chance to grieve and process and heal together. Especially at a time when the health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are disproportionately higher among BIPoC communities.

"I think there is a real opportunity with the disruption of our economic system and our society to eliminate at least visible street level homelessness in the community, if we can muster sufficient political will and sufficiently robust partnerships with other levels of government and other organizations," said Isitt.