Smoking ban studied for outdoor facilities
By PETTI FONG Monday, August 8, 2005 Page S1
VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is looking at expanding a non-smoking ban to include restaurant patios, bus shelters and large outdoor areas like the Pacific National Exhibition.
Nick Losito, director of health protection for the authority, said complaints about smokers at outdoor restaurant patios have been mounting, and a report about extending the decade-old indoor smoking ban is heading to council.
"We're trying to look at this in the long-term and the goals we are setting," said Mr. Losito. "What is driving a lot of this is not so much public health or protecting public health, it's more about where society is today and where it's going."
The report is still being prepared for Vancouver city council, but Mr. Losito said his staff is considering a ban on smoking in bus shelters, outdoor queue areas, entries to buildings and even public areas where young people play sports and the PNE.
A smoking ban on outdoor patios and public areas could make Vancouver one of the most restrictive cities in North America when it comes to smoking.
San Francisco banned outdoor smoking in most parks, playing fields and tennis courts in July.
A smoking ban in Quebec restaurants and bars won't come into effect until 2006, and Ontario's prohibition on tobacco in workplaces, restaurants, schools and child-care centres doesn't extend to outdoor patios or building entrances.
A ban on smoking in outdoor patios would be easier to enforce than in bus shelters or on playing fields, said Mr. Losito. If outdoor areas fall under new smoking restrictions, he said the health authority would use signs for compliance.
Richard Floody, chairman of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association, said banning smoking on outdoor patios would work if a section remains open to smokers.
"What concerns me a little bit is such a ban shouldn't be done by municipality. It should be done province wide so it doesn't give an advantage to one municipality over another," Mr. Floody said.
In the past few years, Mr. Floody said, more restaurants have become smoke-free, even on their outdoor patios.
Fred Bass, an advocate for more smoke-free environments and a Vancouver city councillor, said less than 16 per cent of the adult population in B.C. smokes, and that number could be further reduced by restricting areas where people are allowed to light up.
"I will defend smokers' right to smoke and I have done that, as long as their smoke doesn't get in the body of non-smokers," Dr. Bass said.
"Given that 84 or more per cent of people really want fresh air and want to enjoy what the outdoor is like, it seems reasonable to say there should be a limitation on even outdoor smoking."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050808/BCSMOKING08/
Authors should butt out
From the Ottawa Citizen August 8, 2005
A new book that suggests the federal and provincial governments buy out Canada's tobacco companies in order to sell fewer cigarettes makes one wonder what the authors have been smoking.
The business of the Canadian government is not business, but governing. We've spent decades spinning off ill-conceived and inefficient Crown corporations. Why ask our governments to get back into the manufacturing and retail business?
Worse yet is the prospect of governments wielding monopoly control over increasing numbers of products and services. In Ontario, we have such a system already -- the Liquor Control Board of Ontario -- and no one would consider the LCBO a model of efficiency.
There are also moral and practical arguments against the government vending a product known to kill vast numbers of Canadians. The moral issue is self-evident; the practical centres on the legal responsibility for harms that befall smokers as a result of their habit.
Do we really want a situation where the federal government is forced to defend itself against tobacco suits or, more perversely yet, provincial governments sue themselves for smoking-related health-care costs?
In defending their thesis, the authors argue that a Crown corporation or other public entity controlling the tobacco industry would be able to gradually reduce smoking rates by eliminating advertising, making cigarettes less attractive, preventing store owners from being paid for counter-top displays, and creating anti-smoking campaigns.
If all this sounds familiar, it should: each of these initiatives is either already in effect, or being contemplated.
Furthermore, the disincentives appear to be working. Smoking rates have plunged to below 20 per cent, from upwards of 60 per cent in 1965, lending credence to the tobacco industry's contention that smoking can be effectively curbed under the current regulatory regime.
As to the projected cost of buying up the tobacco industry, the authors say it could range from zero (provided the companies simply turn over the keys to their respective operations) to as much as $15 billion (assuming they're so mercenary as to actually want to be paid for their businesses).
What the authors fail to take into account is the ongoing cost of the vast bureaucracy necessary to run the industry, and the eventual elimination of $8.7 billion in annual tax revenue.
On the other hand, since the objective is ultimately to sell less and less product, to generate less and less tax revenue, and to perform worse and worse as a business, perhaps a Crown corporation is the right solution.
Opponents start petition against impending ban on smoking -AB
By PAUL COWLEY Advocate staff Aug 08 2005
Organizers of a petition to force another smoking vote by city council are about halfway to the 8,000 names needed.
Sheree Davies, spokeswoman for Central Alberta Businesses for Choice, is confident the group will gather enough signatures by the Aug. 19 deadline.
The group wants council to dump the smoking bylaw passed in June, which bans smoking in all public buildings, areas or vehicles beginning June 1, 2006.
Some businesses argue the ban will drive away customers and want a return to the old bylaw, which outlawed smoking in public buildings accessible to those under 18, the so-called silver standard.
If enough names are collected, council could be forced to go to a plebiscite.
"Our strategy is to get them to rescind it completely without going to the expense of a plebiscite," said Davies.
Many out-of-towners, who come to Red Deer for its bingos, casinos and nightclubs, want to sign but can not because the petition is only open to local residents.
There is clearly much support for a return to the previous smoking bylaw, she said.
Red Deer's Royal Canadian Legion has thrown its support behind the effort to revoke the bylaw.
About 54 members met July 28 and all but half a dozen were in favour of a return to the previous bylaw, said legion president Tim McCoy.
"We donate a lot into the community. We're a non-profit organization. It's going to hurt us big time."
McCoy anticipates the legion will take a big revenue hit when smokers are excluded.
The legion ran an advertisement in Friday's Advocate under the slogan "Freedom Won is Now Freedom Lost" with a photo of the bemedalled chests of three veterans.
McCoy supports that sentiment, arguing the smoking ban goes too far and is an assault on individual freedoms.
While legion members wanted to voice their opposition, he doubts city council will back down.
"It probably can't win. But we're not going to stand back and just let it through."
http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/
Youth get splash of info on sun care, dangers of smoking -AB
Awareness event held at Lake Lisgar splash pad in Tillsonburg
Briony Douglas - For the Sentinel-Review Tuesday August 09, 2005
TILLSONBURG - Live to be Cancer Free- be sun safe and smoke-free - that was the message the Oxford County Board of health staff and team of youth were promoting at the Lake Lisgar splash pad in Tillsonburg last week.
Tic Tac Tar was the name of the game. Kids were asked to answer questions about preventing lung cancer and why not to smoke.
“All the games give kids the chance to learn something about sun safety and smoking prevention,” public health nurse Kelly Vanderhoeven said. “We saw the water park as the perfect opportunity for raising awareness on the two topics.”
With the sun beating down and temperatures reaching up to 34 C, this was the perfect day for sun-care awareness. Although the group couldn’t give out any sunscreen for the kids to cover up, they were awarded with plenty of prizes such as hats, Frisbees, balls and UV index watches.
Youth can prevent sunburns and lower the one in seven risk of developing skin cancer by smearing on sunscreen. Vanderhoeven has put together several other sun care awareness activities at different golf courses in the area and at the splash pad at the Southside Aquatic Centre.
In addition to promoting sun care awareness, the special day also focused on the dangers of smoking.
“The purpose of today and everyday is to prevent youths from smoking across Ontario and promote smoke-free living,” said Sharon Sabourin, Oxford Tobacco Strategy supervisor. Studies show that 14 per cent of youth in Oxford County, from ages 12 to 18, are smokers, she said.
Sabourin is in charge of the Action Alliance for youths, which started up in June. There are now 11 health units in Ontario which are hiring youths to help with getting the word out to their peers.
“Hiring youth to communicate with other youth to get the messages across definitely works best,” Sabourin said.
All the youth who attended the splash pad event in Tillsonburg were in their first chapter of training and working towards youth empowerment. Youth get to decide where and when they go to promote their messages, such as sponsored concerts and conferences.
“I would really like to do the concerts, because that’s where most of the youth want to go,” youth leader Cody Longworth said. “This is a lot of fun.”
With an estimated 600 kids filing in and out for the two-hour event, Janet Mccurdy, the program manager for the Town of Tillsonburg was blown away by the results.
“This is wonderful, just wonderful,” she said.
This was also the debut of the new shade tent that the Oxford County Board of Health has just purchased. The board of health is making the tent available to the community. The tent can be loaned out for things such as sporting events or back yard functions, with a deposit of $100, which will be reimbursed when the tent is returned.
http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/story.php?id=177219
The truth behind the numbers: CHA analyzes OECD Health Statistics
OTTAWA, Aug. 9 /CNW Telbec/ - The Supreme Court of Canada's ruling on private health insurance ignited increased debate on the effectiveness of Canada's health system, prompting some to contend that countries with public and private funding and delivery options for acute care services outperform Canada's single payer system. A recent analysis of OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) statistics by the Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA) refutes this claim.
"Our review of current OECD data shows that as a percentage of GDP and on a per capita basis, Canada's publicly-funded health system is in fact less expensive than that of other countries to which it is frequently compared," states CHA President and CEO Sharon Sholzberg-Gray. Canada spends 6.9% of its GDP on publicly-funded health care, which amounts to less than France at 7.7%, Sweden at 7.8%, and Germany at 8.6%.
This analysis is based on a comparison of public expenditures alone - whereas those who advocate that Canada's health spending is high, typically base their argument on a review of both public and private expenditures together. "This is misleading," says CHA Board Chair Alex Taylor, "and we believe that it is crucial to distinguish between public spending and total (public and private together) expenditures."
The data also show that Canada is doing relatively well on some health status measures such as life expectancy at birth. "While Canada can and should do better," notes Ms. Sholzberg-Gray, "it is important to remember that many OECD countries spend considerably more on social services and other health determinants. Health services alone are not the only contributor to a positive health status, though they remain an important factor."
CHA's review also argues that wait times abound in many OECD countries and that the existence of private sector alternatives in funding and delivery has not resolved this issue.
For CHA's complete analysis, together with a chart and bar graphs, please visit our website at www.cha.ca .
Advancing healthcare for Canadians
The Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA) is the federation of provincial and territorial hospital and health organizations committed to preserving and strengthening Canada's health system.
The Canadian Healthcare Association is the national voice of this health network. CHA's mission is to improve the delivery of health services in Canada through policy development, advocacy, and leadership.
CHA's vision is a publicly funded health system that provides access to a broad range of comparable health services across Canada.
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2005/09/c8392.html
Singing the Blues, Dance -AB
AS A singer for a band I'm very happy with the smoking ban. I was sick of not being able to even talk without my voice cracking for days after I have to sing all night in a smoke-filled bar. Grow up, children. You are addicts. I don't support drug addicts on the street, why should I support you? There are a thousand ways to quit and save money. Try one and keep trying.
R.C. Willis
(Whatcho talking about, Willis?)
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I WRITE this letter to encourage the Alano Club, which discontinued its sober dances, to reconsider continuing the dances. The sober dances were cut permanently, I think, as a result of the last smoking bylaw. I just want them to know that I had enjoyed some of the best moments of my life as a result of being a 10-year patron of their dances. I had even met the mother of my daughter there. And so those dances meant a lot to me and others. Even though I am not a recovering alcoholic and, yes, I smoke, I simply enjoyed the environment without the burden of unpredictable drunks.
Darryl Learie
(Put on your red shoes & dance the blues.)
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Comment/Letters/2005/08/10/1166192.html
Province tackles competency issue -MB
Changes coming, Mackintosh says
By Paul Egan Wednesday, August 10th, 2005
THE province will make changes to the way Manitobans are declared mentally incompetent and placed under the control of the public trustee, says Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh.
"I have some real concerns that some fundamentals of due process come up short in the current scheme," Mackintosh told the Free Press.
Mackintosh's comments follow media reports that raised concerns about the public trustee taking control over people's finances and lives without justification or a chance for objections to be heard.
Both Manitoba Public Trustee Anne Bolton and director of psychiatric services Dr. Donald Rodgers told the Free Press last week they favour changes to the Mental Health Act.
Bolton said there should be a way to trigger a hearing before someone is declared incompetent and an administrative appeal process should be put in place.
Rodgers said he, too, favours a hearing by an arm's-length panel to resolve disputes.
Mackintosh recently appointed a committee to review the process and relevant legislation, but said it may take several months before changes are implemented.
"There will be change and we're going to now determine whether it can be done administratively or whether legislation has to be changed," Mackintosh said.
He said he'd like to see an administrative appeal process "that is both cost-effective and swift and readily available."
And he wants to look at other checks and balances in the way the province's chief psychiatrist declares someone mentally incompetent.
"We have to ensure the scheme recognizes appointing the public trustee should be a last resort," Mackintosh said.
The changes could potentially open up to administrative appeal hundreds of cases decided under the present system.
Residents of Ontario town want to join Manitoba
CTV.ca News Staff
There is a growing movement in the Ontario town of Kenora to join Manitoba, after a decline in the forest industry has some residents looking for a brighter future.
"People are upset because they feel they're being ignored."
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1123686168881_24/?hub=Canada