A suggestion that city council should continue to permit war veterans to park in Whitehorse for free is a bad idea, Coun. Dave Stockdale said Monday night.

Responding to a suggestion from Bylaw Services manager John Taylor that veterans should be able to park for free indefinitely, Stockdale said he didn't agree.

While he appreciated the sacrifice veterans had made for Canada, Stockdale said, he doesn't feel those sacrifices warrant free parking.

'I think an indefinite privilege like this is not appropriate. I mean, I appreciate what (veterans) have done but I don't think (providing free parking) is appropriate,' he said.

Taylor said he would like to extend free parking privileges to all veterans who display a veteran's licence plate (which includes a poppy) past 2005.

After Canada's minister of Veterans Affairs declared 2005 the year of the veteran, city council granted free parking to veterans for the year.

In an interview this morning, Taylor said extending the privilege would essentially cost the city nothing.

He also said bylaw officials do not actually see that many veteran plates in Whitehorse.

'Our meter person said he only encounters three to five plates a day,' he said.

According to the Yukon government, there are approximately 96 registered veterans plates in the territory.