Thx to the SurrealityTimes blog for bring this news story to my attention. This is more evidence that the public is making a difference in our attitudes and concerns for each others wellbeing and shifting and shaping our own behaviour changes as a result. Congratulations to Capital Health for this leadership.
I wonder if the smoking ban in public is at the tipping point as public policy now. I recall the Libertarians’ opposition to fluoride in our water and the seatbelt debates of the past. More recently we have had the voluminous over illuminous diatribes over the science around climate change. The more things change the more they remain the same?
Now we are seeing the Libertarians adding heat but not much light as they position for the final political battle on smoking in public places as a personal over our collective health…both physically and fiscally.
This is a most appropraite issue to be resolved politically because it is a community health issue. It is not a human right nor an individual rights issue. Alberta's former Health Ministers like Gary Mar and Iris Evans have tired to get a smoking ban in public places past the PC caucus but to no avail. Will Hancock succeed this time with a new leader in charge? Perhaps. but only if the citizenry makes it known by writing to the provincial politicians to say that they support and insist on such a policy.
Ken, does Hancock have a policy outline of what he defines as a "public place".
ReplyDeleteI believe that in order to get this passed, we must provide convincing arguments to those on the priorities agenda committee.
I am preparing a letter to Morton in support of Hancock's plan to make public places smoke-free, but I'd like to know more details before I complete it.
Hi eric - yes Hancock does - I will get it and post it on this blog next week.
ReplyDeleteKen - I'm enjoying the give & take between our blogs, and with you here. (I think I learned of you originally thru Le Revue Gauche)
ReplyDeleteYou know I believe very strongly that Tobacco Control has degenerated into a greedy excuse to scapegoat the less fortunate. If I didn't believe that, and possess facts to support that, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing.
Personally, I support public smoking bans where they are rational and reasonable - and I don't go out to restaurants or bars so smoking bans in those places are not a personal concern to me. However, I have friends and family members that have asked me to help them stand up to what they see as a concerted effort by the rich and powerful to persecute them.
And they are right. The kind of people I'm talking about have NO social, financial or political power. Tobacco Control has multiple-million dollar budgets, the ability to buy mass media, and considerable social and political power. I'm standing up for the powerless, against the powerful - and that is the basis of social justice.
Roy
Ken -- let me say at the outset that I support smoking bans for public places, I thank Dave Hancock for raising the issue, and I shake my head when government MLAs and even cabinet colleagues take pot shots at the Health Minister for doing his job.
ReplyDeleteBut... all that said, I would be very sad if this turned out to be the biggest health issue the Stelmach government deals with. We have exploding health spending, growing waiting lists for surgery and people leaving emergency wards without getting attention.
We have had the Mazankowski Report, the Broda Report and a bunch of other reports. What we need now is some action!
Its been almost 8 weeks since the leadership was decided -- almost 6 weeks since the swearing in. Beyond the smoking brouhaha, not revealing the names of financial backers and cancelling the $5000 fondle, not much has happened.
Are you getting worried?