Relayed
by GLOBALink
The International Tobacco-Control Network
Tories have
plan to foil smoke rebel.
by BRIAN
FLINN, The Daily News Source: Halifax (NS) Daily News, 2002-05-21,
via tobacco.org Region:CANADA
Category: Smokefree Policies.
URL: http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=9696E924-F167-4C13-
BA05-CB50E5FDDEDA
The Hamm
government might filibuster its own legislation to prevent a
Tory backbencher from tabling an amendment for a complete smoking
ban. Sackville-Beaver Bank MLA Barry Barnet said he spent the
weekend crafting a change that would toughen Health Minister
Jamie Muir's Smoke-Free Places bill. But a government source
said Tory MLAs will talk for 20 hours about generalities, denying
Barnet an opportunity to introduce his amendment. The government
passed its own changes at the legislature's law amendments committee
yesterday.
Barnet,
normally a member of the committee, was not present and another
backbencher took his place. But he said the government didn't
prevent him from taking his seat. "We've been rotating
back and forth and it wasn't my turn," he said. Changes
can be tabled in law amendments or in committee of the whole,
which begins debating the anti-smoking bill tomorrow. Barnet
said he plans to make a speech in favour of tougher legislation
during that meeting, which will last 20 hours over several days.
Deputy speaker
Brooke Taylor said he'll let Barnet talk. "There's no way
of forecasting what may or may not happen in the chamber, but
as the chair of the committee, I have the responsibility to
recognize members and I'll certainly do that, including Barry
Barnet," he said. Barnet can make a speech, but his opportunity
to table an amendment and put it to a vote will only come later
in committee of the whole, once everyone has had an opportunity
to speak on the bill.
The government
source said caucus has no intention on letting that happen and
risking a 100-per-cent smoking ban in restaurants, bars, casinos
and legions. Instead, it will eat up the clock by speaking in
favour of the bill's title. The government amendments accepted
yesterday give cabinet discretion to make minor changes in the
law without further approval from MLAs, and allows bar and restaurant
employees to refuse to work in smoking rooms.
The Liberals
said cabinet could use its power to weaken the bill. The NDP
said employees who refuse to work in smoking rooms will have
no protection if they get fired. The Grits said the amendments
generally weaken an already weak bill and voted against them;
the New Democrats said some of the changes were good and voted
in favour. Attempts by both parties to introduce a 100-per-cent
ban failed to win support from the committee's Tory majority.
