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December 16, 2004
Ontario To Go Smokeless
Just in time for me to go home to Ontario, the current provincial government is proposing a complete ban on indoor smoking. I for one, think this is a good thing, not just because I'm not a smoker.
In a country with socialized health care, everybody foots the bill for smokers' health problems. In such a position, I feel it's the government's duty to keep us healthy. I see a much weaker argument in the US, where individuals' health insurance pays. If you smoke, your premiums go up, which is not the case in Canada.
I also think it's unfair to subject workers (bartenders, servers, etc) to second-hand smoke to make a living. If they are putting themselves in a scientifically-recognized dangerous position, give them hazard pay, not unlike construction workers.
Remember, there's no clause in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing so-called Smokers' Rights.