PC candidates back smokers' rights lobby
PC candidates back smokers' rights lobby
Don Lajoie, Windsor Star
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=49956db0-9136-43a0-9ccd-c88c0f111375
A lobby group for smokers' rights is claiming support from half a dozen provincial Conservative candidates, including one running in Windsor West.
Ontario's tough anti-smoking laws are hypocritical, Lisa Lumley said Thursday at a press conference held in Windsor by MyChoice.ca.
Lumley, a non-smoker who is running against Liberal MPP Sandra Pupatello, noted that while Ontario's casinos are allowed to build shelters for their smokers, bar owners must still send their customers outdoors to satisfy their nicotine craving.
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Font: ****"Don't be hypocritical about this and do for one and not for the other," she said, adding the law has had a devastating effect on the local charity bingo industry.
"Why are nursing homes sending people, who have been smoking for 50 or 60 years, outside?," Lumley said. "Give them some dignity in their latter years."
MyChoice.ca -- a non-profit organization funded by the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers' Council -- is surveying and recruiting provincial election candidates to their cause in a bid to change Ontario's anti-smoking laws and make "smoker's rights" a campaign issue.
A week into the lobbying effort, president Nancy Daigneault said the organization has already gained the support of about a half dozen Conservative candidates, including MPPs Frank Klees and Toby Barrett.
She said MyChoice.ca has gathered 43,000 letters to send to the premier's office, MPPs and opposition leaders as part of its latest campaign.
The organization commissioned a poll of 507 non-smokers in Ontario. Seventy-one per cent believe the adult decision to smoke should be respected and 83 per cent agree that designated smoking areas should be provided so long as non-smokers' rights are respected, Daigneault said.
A further 80 per cent felt there should be no health care discrimination against those who smoke.
Daigneault said the poll shows non-smokers agree with her group's "fair play" code and its goal of achieving "a co-operative and civil way" to deal with the issue of smoking in public places.
"In an election the government cannot prevent people from having their say," she said. "We have 43,000 letters. In a close election that could be important. We want to know what the candidates think.... We're making it an issue."
Daigneault was joined by local supporters, including Liz Burns of the Highway Tavern and Sheryl Davies of the Arts Council of Windsor.
"At the arts council we feel the depletion of the bingo (revenues)," said Davies. "For local groups it's hard to meet our mandate.... Something needs to be done."
Burns said all hospitality businesses, and not just casinos, should be allowed to have separate smoking areas.
Don Lajoie, Windsor Star
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=49956db0-9136-43a0-9ccd-c88c0f111375
A lobby group for smokers' rights is claiming support from half a dozen provincial Conservative candidates, including one running in Windsor West.
Ontario's tough anti-smoking laws are hypocritical, Lisa Lumley said Thursday at a press conference held in Windsor by MyChoice.ca.
Lumley, a non-smoker who is running against Liberal MPP Sandra Pupatello, noted that while Ontario's casinos are allowed to build shelters for their smokers, bar owners must still send their customers outdoors to satisfy their nicotine craving.
Email to a friend
Printer friendly
Font: ****"Don't be hypocritical about this and do for one and not for the other," she said, adding the law has had a devastating effect on the local charity bingo industry.
"Why are nursing homes sending people, who have been smoking for 50 or 60 years, outside?," Lumley said. "Give them some dignity in their latter years."
MyChoice.ca -- a non-profit organization funded by the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers' Council -- is surveying and recruiting provincial election candidates to their cause in a bid to change Ontario's anti-smoking laws and make "smoker's rights" a campaign issue.
A week into the lobbying effort, president Nancy Daigneault said the organization has already gained the support of about a half dozen Conservative candidates, including MPPs Frank Klees and Toby Barrett.
She said MyChoice.ca has gathered 43,000 letters to send to the premier's office, MPPs and opposition leaders as part of its latest campaign.
The organization commissioned a poll of 507 non-smokers in Ontario. Seventy-one per cent believe the adult decision to smoke should be respected and 83 per cent agree that designated smoking areas should be provided so long as non-smokers' rights are respected, Daigneault said.
A further 80 per cent felt there should be no health care discrimination against those who smoke.
Daigneault said the poll shows non-smokers agree with her group's "fair play" code and its goal of achieving "a co-operative and civil way" to deal with the issue of smoking in public places.
"In an election the government cannot prevent people from having their say," she said. "We have 43,000 letters. In a close election that could be important. We want to know what the candidates think.... We're making it an issue."
Daigneault was joined by local supporters, including Liz Burns of the Highway Tavern and Sheryl Davies of the Arts Council of Windsor.
"At the arts council we feel the depletion of the bingo (revenues)," said Davies. "For local groups it's hard to meet our mandate.... Something needs to be done."
Burns said all hospitality businesses, and not just casinos, should be allowed to have separate smoking areas.
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