Winnipeg Free Press

June 17, 1999

Are children running city hall?

To the Editor:

It seems that the eight-year-olds are calling the shots in City hall these days, used by their parents and their teacher to spread the propoganda fed to them.

Let's make Winnipeg smoke-free. See how it rates when clients come into town from overseas and get ticketed for lighting up in the street. Perhaps instead of making new laws banning a legal substance, how about amending existing bylaws concerning city health codes to include proper ventilation in the places where people are still allowed to smoke.

Restaurants could also opt to better segregate their clientelle, as opposed to saying that one corner is free from ashtrays. Places can also opt to go smoke free on their own. There are other options open,other than making something outright illegal.

Are the eight-year-olds calling the shots in Winnipeg? I suppose time will tell.

Duncan Bowman,
Selkirk