The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Thompson will take the bold step of becoming the first Northern Manitoba community to ban indoor public smoking. Effective July 1, the province's third largest community will outlaw puffing in all enclosed public places, three months ahead of the forthcoming province-wide ban. "In a nutshell, it is the right thing to do for residents and visitors," said Mayor Bill Comaskey. "It's based on compelling data . . . that second-hand smoke does kill." Thompson City Council unanimously passed the final reading of the by-law last week amid strong opposition from what Mayor Comaskey called "a very vocal minority," including business owners who worry the ban will hurt their bottom line. "We believe that the vast majority of the people are behind it," he said. Asked about enforcement, Mayor Comaskey said the RCMP, city enforcement officers, and Public Health will ensure smokers and businesses abide by the law. But the mayor said he and council anticipate compliance. The mayor and council spent hours reviewing the smoking ban, a process that included extensive public consultation and debate. "It's not as if it just happened overnight," said Mayor Comaskey. With the Manitoba government set to implement a province-wide ban this October, some Thompson residents have wondered why their elected officials would bother with a ban of their own. "There are many pieces of (municipal) legislation that are companion documents to provincial legislation," Comaskey pointed out. "We're not trying to outpace the province, we're just doing what we believe is right." Thompson will be the third Manitoba community to institute such a ban, after Brandon and Winnipeg.
