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Roland Butler, MHA for the District of Port de Grave, says while he agrees
with the principle of a full smoking ban, he has concerns about the impact
of new smoking regulations on outdoor concerts, festivals, open-air patios
and non-profit groups. Since the legislation passed in the House of Assembly
last week without constructive amendments put forward by the opposition,
Butler says he has received a number of inquiries and complaints from
concerned citizens in his district. "While most people I speak with are in
full support of the elimination of smoking in public places, a number of
questions must still be addressed," said Butler. "For example, constituents
in Conception Bay North are not happy that the new ban will include outdoor
patios. These people feel outdoor venues should not have the same
restrictions as indoor facilities.
"Seniors are raising concerns that placing a ban on smoking on outdoor
patios at places like the Royal Canadian Legion in Bay Roberts is going too
far. It is not reasonable to require these people, many of them retired
veterans, to walk 35 feet away from the building when they could easily
smoke on an outdoor patio without subjecting employees or other patrons to
the ill-effects of second-hand smoke. I firmly believe this provision should
be revisited.
"Last week, the acting Minister of Health did not address concerns I had
with the impact of these new regulations on the Klondyke concert held each
summer in Bay Roberts. This is a large open-air concert that previously was
exempt from government smoking regulations. Some accommodation must be made
for patrons of events such as this. These concerts are held on a large open
field where no ventilation is required.
"The legislation also contains a provision for smoking rooms to be
allowed in health centres and for employees at clubs, provided that
employees are not required to enter the designated rooms as part of their
work duties. If this is deemed to be a safe configuration for some
individuals, a similar arrangement should be explored for patrons of other
facilities.
"While the premise of a smoking ban in public places is a good
initiative, some parts of this legislation are flawed. I suggest government
revisit some of these provisions to ensure that these restrictions are more
reasonably addressed."
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