SAVOLINE DISMAYED BY BILL'S DEFEAT

Burlington Mpp Sought To Close Loophole In Anti-Smoking Legislation

Burlington MPP Joyce Savoline has been unsuccessful in convincing the
ruling Liberals to consider changing provincial smoking legislation
that would require medical marijuana smokers to stay a minimum of 10
feet away from some public and private buildings.

Conservative Joyce Savoline had her private member's bill, Bill 42,
an attempt to amend Ontario's Smoke-Free Ontario Act, defeated in the
legislature at the committee level last Thursday.

The MPP expressed dismay that the life of her bill was cut short not
long after the previous week's first reading of her proposed changes
to existing smoking legislation and before any public consultation occurred.

"The opposition members are being muzzled, their positive
contributions to the province of Ontario are being squashed and the
citizens of this province are being silenced. This is democracy at
its worst," Savoline said in a press release.

"The committee does not have a pressing schedule, their agenda has
more than enough room to accommodate public hearings and yet this
government continues to refuse to hear from its own citizens," she added.

Savoline introduced Bill 42 to close what she saw as a loophole in
the McGuinty government's anti-smoking legislation. The bill sought
to amend the act to include the prohibition of smoking any controlled
substance, as set out in the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act,
within 10 feet of any enclosed public place, workplace or other
places such as schools.

"Implementing a 10-foot rule for smoking tobacco and other substances
will enhance the comfort of the patrons," Savoline said in her
rationale for forwarding the bill.

She said she was inspired by the situation of Ted Kindos, the owner
of Gator Ted's restaurant in Burlington.

"I became aware that the act did not cover marijuana or controlled
substances," she had said ... "Mr. Kindos contacted me because he was
experiencing difficulty with a patron smoking marijuana for medicinal
purposes immediately outside the door of his establishment."

Kindos is awaiting a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario hearing in May,
following failed Ontario Human Rights Commission mediation talks in
the wake of claims of discrimination by former longtime customer and
medical marijuana user Steve Gibson.