Mayor skeptical of smoking ban

Overzealous bylaw not enforceable, destined to be butt of jokes, says Murray

Staff, 14 May 1999

Trying to ban smoking in bars and restaurants is like trying to ban rainy days, Mayor Glen Murray said (May 13th).

Murray said he has doubts about whether a smoking ban would be effective.

But he wants to see a long-awaited report from the city's medical health officer before he decides if he will support such a ban.

Murray said attempts to prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants in other cities have failed.

"Sure we can have a smoking ban. But we can ban rainy days too. Fine. Everyone will feel really good about it until it rains," Murray said.

"If you go too far and bring in something that isn't credible, that no one uses, then it becomes a joke. It's not enforceable and no one takes it seriously."

Murray said he was involved in drafting the present city bylaw, which bans smoking in all civic buildings.

Although the mayor is happy with it, he said it could be toughened up.

But he said he's not convinced that an outright ban on smoking in bars and restaurants is the way to go.

More than two years ago, the Council for a Tobacco-Free Manitoba asked Winnipeg for a bylaw banning smoking in all city eating and drinking establishments.

The request sparked heated debate among city councillors. Politicians asked the city's medical health officer to study the proposal and report back.

Councillors are still waiting for that report.

A status report is scheduled to be presented at the June 11 meeting of the city's standing committee on protection and community services.

Dr. Sande Harlos, the city's deputy medical officer of health, said the report has taken more than two years to put together because thee is so much going on in other cities.

A bylaw preventing smoking in Victoria bars and restaurants took effect Jan. 1.

But hostile smokers and restaurateurs forced Toronto politicians to back down on a similar ban there.

Politicians in that city are considering reinstating the ban for 2001.