Politicians in the Yukon have agreed that smoking should be banned in all public places in the territory, but the question remains of when the ban should start.
An all-party committee looking into proposed anti-smoking legislation tabled its report Wednesday in the legislative assembly. The Yukon is the last jurisdiction in Canada without anti-smoking legislation.
The committee's report says a smoking ban should cover "all public places," including bars, so-called "mom and pop" operations and even beer tents at special events.
All three political parties agreed Wednesday to the report's six recommendations, which include:
- Making retailers take tobacco products and advertising out of sight in their stores, offering them a one-year period to comply.
- Banning the sale of candy cigarettes and similar "confectionary products."
- Restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotion in the territory.
Government to draft new bill
The report recommends passing the anti-smoking legislation either using NDP Leader Todd Hardy's private member's bill, which had passed second reading in May, or in the form of a new government bill.
But Health Minister Brad Cathers said Wednesday he will draft a new government bill because Hardy's bill is flawed.
"There were areas that Yukoners provided feedback, suggesting changes to the private member's bill that was presented. So it will be used as a starting point for the government legislation," Cathers said.
"The government bill will be reflecting the same basic spirit and intent reflected in Mr. Hardy's private member's bill, but the hope is that we can deal with this matter in the spring sitting of the legislature and get a fairly early implementation date."
Although the committee, which Cathers led, calls for the ban to come into effect as soon as the legislation passes in the legislature, the minister said it likely won't happen before next spring or possibly even next fall. As for how soon after that the ban would be implemented, Cathers said he couldn't speculate.
The committee agreed that if the ban is passed during the tourism season, it should not be implemented until after the season ends.
Hardy said he would be very disappointed if the government creates a new bill, suggesting the government should work with his bill instead and get a ban in place sooner.
Yukon could do more, cancer society says
Scott Kent, the Canadian Cancer Society's regional manager in the Yukon, said the proposed ban is good, but the government could do more.
"We would have liked to have seen them go a little bit further on certain issues like taxation. The Yukon has, I believe, the third-lowest tobacco taxes in the country," Kent said.
"I would have liked to have seen a ban on sales in pharmacies and maybe a ban on smoking in vehicles carrying children."
But overall, Kent said, the society believes the government is on the right track to protect Yukoners from second-hand smoke.
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