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Letters Ottawa Sun
Letter to the Editor for consideration for publication
Claudette Cain's latest attack on Ottawa's smoke-free by-laws in "Clubbing
the smokers" (April 7/02) left me more than perplexed. When I made a
presentation to the Gloucester City Council on June 27, 2000, Ms. Cain
voiced her strong support for a 100% smoke-free by-law. On October 18, 2000
at the River Ward all-candidates' meeting, I personally asked Ms. Cain the
following question: "Will you support 100% smoke-free workplaces and public
places, including restaurants and bars, with no allowance for designated
smoking rooms by May 31, 2001?" She responded positively, although less
heartily than her then rival, Bob Chiarelli.
Both of these meetings were leading up to the election. Now that she's lost
the mayoralty race, Ms. Cain seems to have once again done an about-face on
the issue. Could her position simply have been one of convenience, designed
to attract non-smokers (the vast majority of the population) to vote for
her? I certainly hope not! Ms. Cain had never been known for her support
of tobacco control before these two meetings, but I'd hoped that she had
finally been educated about the dangers of tobacco use and secondhand smoke.
But now she states that the bylaw "has done zilch to improve our health."
Ridiculous! The health of thousands of hospitality industry workers,
children, seniors, asthmatics, and others with lung and heart disease have
already benefited immensely from this policy, in just a few short months.
Perhaps it is time Ms. Cain and her good friend, Dr. Wilbert Keon, founder
of our Heart Institute, sat down to talk about the health effects of
secondhand smoke. Maybe Dr. Keon will have the influence it takes to
convince her of the truth.
As a woman, I'm dismayed that Ms. Cain has not stood up for all of the women
in the hospitality industry who silently have had to accept working in a
toxic environment for years. Of all people, I thought the feisty Ms. Cain
would stand up for women's rights. I hope that she will soon realize her
mistakes and openly support this progressive public policy.
Janice Forsythe
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