Health

Nova Scotia: Mayor to ban smoking in his Town

by Barry ORegan | December 8, 2007 at 07:51 am

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I know a Future Political headline, Mayor and Town Councillors lose election in a landslide and run for cover as they are publicly run out of town on a rail.

Of course as is such in many small towns where everybody knows your name and or are related, one wonder what the life of the Bylaw officer and the local police constable will be like when they try and enforce a non smoking ban on a passerby walking down a city street. I smells a feud a brewing.. Not to mention the mayors kids who most likely may endure looks of isolation. Sometimes Political correctness is not a virtue in small towns.

The town of Bridgewater, N.S., is considering a bylaw that would ban smoking on all town property — streets and sidewalks included.

Opponents of the bylaw plan to take a stand on Saturday by smoking on a provincially-owned bridge that would be the town's last haven if the proposed bylaw gets approved.

In such a scenario, anyone driving on the 66 kilometres of streets in town or walking on the 34 kilometres of sidewalk faces a fine for being caught lighting up. The same rules would apply to public buildings and public parks.

Bridgewater Mayor Carrol Publicover said the proposed ban started with complaints about students smoking around school property.

Town councillor Kevin Marlin decided to draft an anti-smoking bylaw for school property, then went even further to propose banning smoking in all public places in the town, except for two spots — the two bridges that span the LaHave River.

That's because the town landmarks are owned by the Province of Nova Scotia.

"This issue [is] really all about the health and well-being of our community," Marlin said.

Although smokers in Bridgewater acknowledged concerns about second-hand smoke, some said an all-out ban is simply not realistic and would be hard to enforce. The mayor agreed.

"I understand it would be the first of its kind in Canada to be that widespread; that sweeping," Publicover said.

"It's going too far to work on an issue that we're all concerned about and that's secondhand smoke and public safety. We're trying to solve a problem that's not really there."

Councillors are expected to vote on the proposed bylaw in a few weeks.

Protesters plan to gather on Saturday at noon at the Veterans' Memorial Bridge.