Calgary's Smoking By-Law

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

That motion was a very positive move though as the pay raise was more than off set by the fact that they will now be taxed on their full salaries. I have no problem with what they did there.

So, they take home the same salary, but they are paid more. So, in essence, all they did was convert some of my municiple taxes into income tax. Great.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

So, they take home the same salary, but they are paid more. So, in essence, all they did was convert some of my municiple taxes into income tax. Great.

Still better than what is happening in other cities:

This is a good piece on the matter: http://www.taxpayer.com/main/news.php?news_id=2332

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

That motion was a very positive move though as the pay raise was more than off set by the fact that they will now be taxed on their full salaries. I have no problem with what they did there.

I agree with the move being postive and acutally works out to a vey little pay raise but I guess my point was that was the 1st item of business. They keep delaying the vote on the by-law day after day.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by ken0042

As for the smoking only bar, there's a number of issues. First is the cumulative effect on employees. Even if they are a smoker, odds are very few people chain smoke 8 hours per day 5 days a week. Then what happens if an employee decided they want to quit smoking? Now they have to find another job.

I remember the "Black Lung" at the University of Calgary, where they had a pretty extensive ventilation system, that changed the air 4 or 5 times every hour...

Anyways, as I've stated, it is a pretty hopeless battle to try to argue with the ban, as smokers have become social pariahs...for health reasons and beyond.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Rick Bell from the Sun gets pretty riled up over councils unwillingness to act.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnis...9/1691554.html

[Jagger]

As someone whose mother died directly due to working in a cafe and being exposed to second hand smoke, I have very strong feelings on this subject.

There are only three of us who don't smoke in my office (construction), we are in a significant minority, and it is a constant battle to keep reminding people that they shouldn't be smoking in the office. I don't get it. The worst offender is the secretary who has had numerous family members die from cancer and related diseases but she still smokes up a storm and shows no signs of even trying to quit.

Our neighbour smokes, is pregnant with twins would you believe, and second hand smoke consistantly drifts into our home from her smoking on her back deck. It bugs me that there is little I can do about this as she is smoking at home. We tried to think of every angle. My wife has a home business and has to put up with the smoke as her computer is directly by the nearest window to the smoke but, of couse, the bylaw does little to help us in this situation. My wife is extremely militant and will probably come up with something. She is furious, as a mother of three, that this person is smoking while being pregnant.

Anyway, got off on a tangent here. Needless to say I think that Calgary has to pass this smoking by-law right now.

[Engine09]

Druh Farrell was interviewed on 660 this afternoon on a unrelated topic, towards the end of her time they slipped the question in. She said that it does not look good, they most likely will not be able to get the extra votes they need next Monday.

Complete and utter bullcrap.

[Nehkara]

I sent Mayor Bronconnier a scathing email today. Basically told him that it was his responsibility as an elected official to uphold the will of the people.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I sent Mayor Bronconnier a scathing email today. Basically told him that it was his responsibility as an elected official to uphold the will of the people.

Unless you're a developer, he won't listen to you.

For the love of God, I really really hope we get a new mayor next election. I know I won't be voting for Bronconnier. I never liked him as an alderman either.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Unless you're a developer, he won't listen to you.

For the love of God, I really really hope we get a new mayor next election. I know I won't be voting for Bronconnier. I never liked him as an alderman either.

I know he won't listen to me... but the easiest way to make sure you aren't heard is not to say anything.

Bronconnier has lost, on this single issue, every ounce of respect I had for him.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I sent Mayor Bronconnier a scathing email today. Basically told him that it was his responsibility as an elected official to uphold the will of the people.

.................

Bronconnier has lost, on this single issue, every ounce of respect I had for him.

Ditto, and ditto. I just can't believe that on a matter of health where every other major city in Canada and the US has already acted that there's any way we are dragging our feet. The 5 year lead up time that was thought to be needed has been proven in other cities to not be a factor.

I compare it to the seatbelt law. That was brought in quickly in an effort to save lives. The difference between seatbelts and tobacco is that with seatbelts the death is instant, whereas with smoking it can take years to develop.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

Druh Farrell was interviewed on 660 this afternoon on a unrelated topic, towards the end of her time they slipped the question in. She said that it does not look good, they most likely will not be able to get the extra votes they need next Monday.

Complete and utter bullcrap.

So they vote on this on Monday July 24th. One week after they were suppose to vote on it. My guess we do not get a vote until 2008 on this issue. When is the next election?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I know he won't listen to me... but the easiest way to make sure you aren't heard is not to say anything.

Oh for sure. I hope that the next mayor we get listens to the common man and the aldermen that represent the common man, rather than the people that bought his seat in office.

Bronconnier has lost, on this single issue, every ounce of respect I had for him.

What's really striking about him for me is that he's very inept when it comes to any sort of issue that doesn't involve building roads. He's very indecisive, almost always picks a plan of action that involves no plan of action, prefers rounds and rounds commitees and studies and will never proactively tackle an issue. Which really wasn't a surprise to me because that was exactly how he was when he was an alderman.

Of course, road development always gets fast tracked at any cost, because his friends and financiers are from the development industry.

[Nehkara]

I'm still hoping some more aldermen will get a brain and flip over the good side of this issue.

[Antithesis]

It's always weird to me about which issues people choose to get riled up over when it comes to politics.

This is a big health issue and the city is obviously avoiding it, yet people don't care.

If I were an aspiring mayor currently on council, I would be very vocal about my opinion on getting this pushed through, because the other position, IMO, is indefensible.

[trew]

Check out this link:

http://www.crfa.ca/issues/2002/calga...s_to_bylaw.asp


"An intensive lobby by CRFA and other hospitality industry associations paid off on May 6th when Calgary City Council voted to delay proposed amendments to the city's smoking bylaw until Sept. 30, 2002."

It sounds like these are the idiots who screwed up everything for us in the first place. Must have been one heck of a lobby, because they convinced the city to drop any limitations for bars and restaurants catering to clientel over the age of 18, and locked us into this arrangement until 2008.

[Shazam]

It sounds like these are the idiots who screwed up everything for us in the first place.

Yup. Read the Rick Bell article above; he's still fuming about them.

What really ****es me off is that there are some aldermen that have said that there's no lobbying going on right now to keep the status quo. Uh huh...

[trew]

And here's an interesting link to their involvement in Edmonton:

http://www.crfa.ca/issues/2003/edmon...s_ban_2005.asp

Loved this quote:

"CRFA and Edmontonians for Choice are committed to continuing the fight for fair smoking bylaws. This two-year extension will provide additional opportunities to educate council about the harmful economic impact of smoking bans."

[Neeper]

Aldermen In Favor
Diane Colley-Urquhart,Ward 13
Craig Burrows,Ward 6
Joe Ceci,Ward 9
Druh Farrell,Ward 7
Bob Hawkesworth,Ward 4
Madeleine King,Ward 8
Ray Jones,Ward 5 ( supports modified ban)

Aldermen Against
Barry Erskine,Ward 11
Ric McIver,Ward 12
Andre Chabot,Ward 10
Gord Lowe,Ward 2
Helene Larocque,Ward 3
Mayor Dave Bronconnier

Aldermen Undecided
Linda Fox-Mellway,Ward 14
linda.foxmellway@calgary.ca
Dale Hodges,Ward 1
dale.hodges@calgary.ca



If you are in Ward 14 or 1, email your undecided aldderman. They will be the swing votes. I am very disspointed in my alderman, and will not be voting for her in the next election.

[Engine09]

So, it's next Monday.