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.
Winnipeg took what some are calling a brave step forward Monday when the City began enforcing its total smoking ban in public places. Smokers are no longer permitted to puff in any indoor public place, including adults-only venues such as bars. A group of plain-clothes inspectors have been scouring the community in search of non-compliance to the bylaw. They have the authority to issue fines to both smokers and establishments . The fines for individuals are $100 for the first offence, $200 for the second and $300 for any subsequent offences. Fines for businesses, meanwhile, are $500, $700 and $1,000 respectively. The City initially banned smoking in public places beginning on July 1, but staffing issues forced a two-month grace period until full enforcement could be put in place. Some observers believe that the City's strong stance on smoking is a sign that a province-wide ban isn't far away. A number of business owners in Flin Flon and Creighton have commented that they fully expect provincial bans in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan in the next few years, if not sooner. To them, it's merely a sign of the times.
