The Port Theatre will host a controversial comedian in late March, who has made past, hurtful comments regarding Residential Schools, the killing of protesters and visible minorities. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

expression vs decency

Review of Port Theatre requested as Nanaimo Council avoid cancelling controversial comedian

Feb 24, 2026 | 11:54 AM

NANAIMO — City councillors requested a review of booking procedures, but will not stand in the way of a controversial stand-up comedy show at the Port Theatre.

The Port Theatre, which is partially funded by the City of Nanaimo, will host Ben Bankas in late March for a sold-out show, with past shows by Bankas featuring material denigrating visible minorities and making crude remarks around residential schools, mass shootings, and other current events.

Speaking on behalf of a capacity gallery opposing Bankas’ show at the Monday, Feb. 23 Council meeting, Benjamin Bollich said Bankas’ brand of humour has no place at a publicly-funded venue, suggesting his past comments could qualify as hate speech and failed to reflect City values of reconciliation and inclusivity.

“Ben Bankas consistently targets identifiable groups: residential school survivors, Indigenous peoples, members of the rainbow community, immigrants and people with disabilities — this is another feature of hate speech. The freedom of expression in Canada is protected, but it is not absolute.”

Bollich referenced past material from Bankas which celebrated the death of Renee Good during ICE protests in Minnesota in January, made hurtful and racially targeted comments towards residential school survivors, and referenced the April 2025 killings at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver which prompted one audience member to shout “kill them all”.

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In an impassioned speech to Council, Bollich also said other communities had not allowed Bankas to perform in publicly-funded venues, and a number of his shows were cancelled as a result of his material.

Bollich requested Council meet with Port Theatre’s board of directors to address the booking, with the view of cancelling it, or donating proceeds to local organizations supporting LGBTQ+ and/or Indigenous communities.

“This is not about silencing speech, it’s about stewardship of public spaces. True reconciliation is not words at the start of meetings, reconciliation is action that prioritizes safety, dignity, and belonging.”

Cancelling the show outright from the Port Theatre was never likely to be a realistic option, as Port Theatre maintains autonomy with its bookings, according to City staff.

A motion was proposed, and ultimately passed 6-2, stating the City would issue a statement reaffirming their stance with marginalized individuals and visible minorities, while also writing a letter to Port Theatre’s board requesting a review of its booking practices.

While making the motion, coun. Ben Geselbracht said the material Bankas performs is “quite disturbing”, but there were constraints on what Council could achieve.

“The Port Theatre is a separate entity, and we can’t tell them to change the booking. We can’t censor it, there are legal constraints [and it] is very unfortunate. What we can do is say that the content, this material isn’t aligned with the values and what the City is trying to promote around inclusivity, reconciliation.”

Geselbracht also hopes the Port Theatre, in its review, has staff “just do a little bit of homework” when bookings come in to ensure the performance “aligns with what is reasonable expectation in a civic institution that is publicly funded.”

A fine line between censorship and standing up for core beliefs was walked by multiple councillors.

Coun. Paul Manly said they were “dancing right along the line” and cited language in the Criminal Code of Canada around hate speech which “willfully promotes anti-Semitism” and denies or downplays the Holocaust.

“If you replace the words ‘anti-Semitism’ with ‘anti-Indigenous’ and you replace the word ‘Holocaust’ with the ‘Residential School system’, you would have a similar type of hate speech.”

Mayor Leonard Krog and coun. Ian Thorpe were the two votes against the motion, instead preferring to split the statement and the letter into separate votes.

Both spoke clearly on their disdain for Bankas’ material, with Krog calling the performer “repugnant”, “awful” and “disgusting”.

However, the greater issue with censorship influenced their vote, specifically related to the notion Council would send a letter to the Port Theatre requesting a review.

Thorpe stated the motion itself states they want the Port Theatre to be inclusive and welcoming to all.

“Well, in whose opinion? We don’t want it to be accessible or inclusive or welcoming to this comedian, because some in the audience and myself included, don’t appreciate his brand of humour. Do I support it? No, but it’s a viewpoint. So how can we say that we want the theatre to be inclusive and welcoming to everybody, but say well wait a minute, there’s limits on that.”

Thorpe added citizens of Nanaimo would ultimately decide how successful Bankas’ stop in the community would be, suggesting citizens “are intelligent enough to vote with their feet or with their dollars and decide what they want to hear or not hear.”

Krog said despite his complete abhorrence at the viewpoints expressed by Bankas and supported by those buying tickets, the Port Theatre was built with public money including from those who will attend the show.

“As ugly as their voices may be seen or heard, they have chosen to purchase tickets to listen to this obnoxious man. I am not going to stand in their way and tell the Port Theatre how to run its operation any more than I would like someone to tell me what I could and couldn’t say when it’s short of hate speech.”

Krog’s comments drew shouts of “shame” from some in attendance, with one woman being asked to leave.

On her departure, she called Krog a “racist SOB”.

A statement from the City is expected ahead of the March performance, while the Port Theatre board will consider any actions upon receipt of the letter from Council.

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