by Source:
Canada.com, 2002-05-28, via tobacco.org
Region:CANADA
Category: Smokefree Policies
URL: http://www.canada.com/national/story.asp?id={4779365B-53BF-437A-994F-
83F3D4FF06A2}
Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm says his government's
anti-smoking bill is a workable compromise.
Hamm spoke in the legislature Tuesday afternoon,
as part of the debate on the bill.
One by one, Tory government members are speaking
to filibuster and eat up the clock.
They're preventing one of their own, backbencher
Barry Barnet, from introducing an amendment that would ban smoking
in all public places.
Hamm says the bill bans smoking in most public
places.
He says the exceptions for casinos, bars, restaurants
and private clubs exist because the government doesn't want
to "steamroll" the public into submission.
As for not allowing Barnet to put forward an
amendment, Hamm says the bill was discussed by the Tory caucus,
and must go forward as-is.
The opposition says Hamm is scared to let Barnet's
amendment come to a vote.
Liberal MLA Dave Wilson says there are probably
many government backbenchers who would vote in favour of an
all-out ban.
