Smoking bans 'useless' in battle against tobacco use, Klein says
Alderman fears loophole may upend smokes bylaw -AB
By SHAWN LOGAN, CALGARY SUN 2006-12-23
With Calgary set to declare itself smoke-free in just over a week, legal clouds are looming that one Calgary alderman believes could circumvent city council's original intent.
Ald. Gord Lowe said with threats emerging that bar owners who make most of their income via VLTs set to oppose the smoking bylaw, the goal of a smoke-free Calgary is becoming more hazy.
"On the first of January, 2007, Calgary will not be smoke free, make no mistake of that," Lowe said yesterday. "Initially, it was a simple and concise plan, and now we've made the whole thing muddy."
The Ward 2 alderman supported the original plan to ban smoking in all public places by 2008, but a move by some aldermen to fast-track the bylaw by a year proposed a number of exemptions for bingos and licensed gaming establishments like charity casinos has made it more complicated, he said.
Lowe said those concessions will pose a rocky road in enforcing the new bylaw.
But Ald. Joe Ceci, a staunch supporter of the new bylaw date, said he doesn't believe there's any ambiguity to what council was seeking.
"I don't perceive there will be any compliance issues and I expect people to follow council's intent," he said.
"There are individuals and coalitions looking for loopholes in what is, in fact, becoming a non-smoking environment and that won't fly."
Bill Bruce, the city's bylaw boss, said while his department will be measured in enforcing the new legislation, there is no doubt of the intent. "If someone is making it quite clear that they won't comply, then enforcement is the next step," he said.
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Saskatchewan,Canada
Smoking ban may soon apply to workplaces
April 09, 2006
Kathy Gallant
Since having eliminated smoking in most public places in 2005, it seems there have been a great number of people in the province agreeing and complying with the movement.
That’s what the results of a recent survey from the Canadian Cancer Society are stating.
Donna Pasiechnik is a representative from the Canadian Cancer Society. She said that since there has been so much cooperation with the province wide ban, that it seems like most people would like to see workplaces included as well.
Due to an exemption with Occupational Health and Safety(OH&S), the legislation does not currently apply to workplaces.
“Employees that work in places that are not voluntarily smoke free have to put up with it,” said Pasiechnik. “With the recent survey that 6,700 people participated in, 85% would like to see smoking in workplaces eliminated. That’s a lot of people.”
According to a press release from the Canadian Cancer Society, “the society and all the health regions commissioned the comprehensive poll to determine the impact the public smoking ban has had on attitudes and behaviors.” According to the polls, 81% of the people surveyed say that the smoking ban was a good idea.
She said that she hopes that steps can be taken by the government to include workplaces in the ban.
“There was a loophole for workplaces,” Pasiechnik said. “But, steps can be taken with OH&S to include the workplaces with the provincial legislation. It will just take some time for the government to do so.
She commented that it should be easy to get going if the initiative is popular with the public.
“The hardest lobbying was done to get rid of smoking in restaurants and bars,” said Pasiechnik. “This would just close the gap.”
Smoking bans 'useless' in battle against tobacco use, Klein says
January 20, 2005
Calgary Herald; with files from The Edmonton Journal
CALGARY - Premier Ralph Klein says smoking bans are "useless," advancing the argument on Wednesday that people in provinces with restrictions aren't healthier than those elsewhere.
Speaking to reporters in Calgary, Klein stood by his refusal last week to enact a provincewide ban on smoking in workplaces, including bars, casinos and bingo halls, saying Albertans choose where they work.
In a statement that infuriated anti-tobacco advocates, Klein said smoking bans aren't effective, arguing public education and anti-tobacco advertising are better at preventing young people from picking up the habit.
"I don't know if (bans have) done that much good," said Klein, admitting he smoked four cigarettes on Weedless Wednesday this week. "I was in Ontario and I didn't see a healthier Ontarian than I saw in Quebec, where they don't have smoking bans at all."
Klein's remarks come during national non-smoking week and follow debate over the province's tobacco policies.
Newly appointed Health Minister Iris Evans said last week she will pursue a reduction or a total ban on smoking in workplaces.
The premier quickly shot down any move towards a universal smoking ban in Alberta and said municipalities must decide for themselves.
On Wednesday, Evans said she still wants to bring in anti-smoking measures and hopes to make caucus "well-informed" on the issues.
"(The premier) said no to a province-wide ban, but within the context of that, I'm hoping there are elements of that we can accelerate," she said.
Anti-tobacco advocates dismissed Klein's statement that bans don't work, saying statistics show they are second only to tobacco taxes in reducing smoking rates.
Government critics accused Klein of ignoring the facts.
"I'm both baffled and shocked that there would be such a blatant disregard of all the factual information that is out there on smoking," said Liberal health critic Laurie Blakeman.
She noted a recent "report card" from anti-smoking groups gave Alberta a failing grade on four out of five of the province's smoking policies.
Klein said bans are also bad for business, arguing the province has to weigh the health risks of smoking against the economic impact.
"It is counterproductive to close (bars, casinos and bingo halls) down," said Klein. "Virtually, that is what will happen."
He told reporters the Royal Canadian Legion in Banff closed because of that municipality's decision to ban smoking last year.
In fact, the legion in Banff is still open, though staff said asking patrons to butt out hasn't been easy on older members.
"Business is down," said Karen Stirrett. "But we didn't close. That's not true."
Les Hagen of Action on Smoking and Health, said banning smoking in workplaces doesn't hurt businesses. He noted five provinces and territories have already brought in universal smoking bans. "The only industry that is affected by smoking bans is the tobacco industry," said Hagen.
Klein said addressing the issue of non-smokers who work at bars is a "concern," adding government may have a discussion about how to deal with second-hand smoke.
http://www.canada.com/
Ralph Klein bucks smoking ban trend
January 23, 2005
Lorraine Turchansky
Canadian Press
EDMONTON -- In Quebec they're calling the trend toward banning smoking in bars and restaurants an unstoppable global movement.
In Saskatchewan they're conducting drug-style raids on bars that continue to let their customers defy the law by indulging in the evil weed tobacco.
In Manitoba they're preparing to defend their smoking ban against a constitutional challenge in the courts.
But in Ralph Klein's Alberta -- well, things are a bit hazy.
Under increasing pressure from municipalities, anti-smoking advocates and even his own health minister, the premier has offered a whole menu of reasons for resisting legislative action.
Much as he has carved out a singular position for his province against same-sex marriage, Klein seems to want to craft a uniquely Alberta stance on smoking.
Instead of chasing lifelong smokers out of their favourite beer parlours and legion halls, he reasons, why not spend the time and money on preventing kids from picking up the habit?
"You can tell the guy in the New Brigden bar that it's bad to smoke, right?" Klein says. "But are you going to stop him from smoking unless he wants to? Unless something dramatic happens to him, he's probably not going to stop. But there is an opportunity and a chance to stop young people from starting."
It's a position that's evolved since rookie Health Minister Iris Evans announced plans earlier this month to seek a provincewide ban on smoking in the workplace. She had to back off after Klein, a lifelong smoker himself, balked.
First he said municipalities should make their own decisions on smoking. Trouble is, the issue has been nothing but trouble for municipalities because bylaws can pit one town against another as their bars and restaurants compete for the smoking clientele. The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association has repeatedly called for a provincial ban.
Then after five days of questioning on the issue last week, an exasperated Klein finally promised to bring the smoking issue to the legislative table for a debate over the options.
In the northern Alberta town of Peace River, the smoking issue has deeply divided residents. A plebiscite on a hardline anti-smoking bylaw generated a record high turnout in last October's municipal election -- even though the entire town council had been acclaimed.
The plebiscite was defeated, but council has now drafted a less restrictive bylaw and added a preamble that accuses the provincial and federal governments of being "negligent, derelict and failing to fulfil their obligations" on smoking.
"We'd like nothing better than for the province to do it and enforce it," Mayor Lorne Mann says of a provincial smoking ban. Council sent a copy of its bylaw to Evans and was delighted when she pledged to work on a ban the very next day. Now Klein's musings have dampened the hope, and Mann wonders if comes down to the simple fact that Klein himself indulges.
"Is his judgment clouded by a fog of smoke?" asks Mann.
"Generally he's a populist -- his expression 'See where the parade is going and jump in front' doesn't seem to apply here, because the parade is heading for public health," he says. "The biggest thing that could save money for health is to get rid of smoking."
Klein admits that a big component of his recently announced "third way" for delivering health care includes wellness and disease prevention -- but that doesn't mean a ban is necessary. After all, he says, "If you don't know about the harms of smoking by now, then you've had your head in the sand."
A ban could hurt businesses such as bars and casinos, and Klein says he's reluctant to do that.
"I'm not a dinosaur on it, but I'm not an interventionist as well."
Mann counters that business owners want everyone playing under the same rules, which is not what you get when you leave matters to municipalities.
Until the province steps in, the patchwork approach of municipalities setting their own smoking policies is likely to continue.
