Hamilton politicians are justifiably fuming at how the Harris government
is avoiding the tobacco issue by leaving it to municipalities
to set smoking bylaws. Instead of adopting provincewide regulations to
create a necessary level playing field, the government is content
with a patchwork of standards, which tends to pit one
municipality against other. The government has now given city council
even more reason to be frustrated with two-faced provincial policies
on tobacco.
Last week, the Tories saw fit to provide $20 million
to help tobacco growers convert their drying kilns to reduce
nitrosamines, which Health Canada has identified as carcinogens. Tobacco manufacturers
had given the growers until 2002 to make the conversion,
which is expected to cost $80 million in all. The
growers and area politicians are lobbying for a federal contribution
of another $20 million. Ottawa should have no part of
it.
How can governments that are ostensibly committed to encouraging people
to stop smoking justify taxpayer subsidies to tobacco growers? It
is a classic case of putting Tobacco-Belt votes ahead of
public health. Ontario's $20 million subsidy is $1 million more
than all provincial government spending to educate people about the
dangers of smoking and discourage it. Source.
