A new squabble has broken out between the food and hospitality industry and the provincial government over Ontario’s smoking regulations. Smoking is banned in all public places in this province, including restaurants, bars and bingo halls. But there are cries of protest following a decision to allow the building of smoking shelters at a couple of the province’s casinos.

The Liberals say it’s not a double standard to allow casinos in Windsor and Niagara Falls to build shelters for smokers even though bars and restaurants cannot. Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson says casinos can build smoking shelters because their primary business is gambling, not serving food and alcohol.

But critics say the casinos are in the hospitality industry, just like bars and restaurants, and should not be allowed the advantage of smoking enclosures.

Michael Perley of the Ontario Coalition for Action on Tobacco says casinos serve food and drinks as a major inducement to attract patrons, just like bars and restaurants.

The opposition parties accuse the Liberal government of trying to protect its own dwindling casino revenues at the expense of the private competition. A tobacco-industry funded lobby group says the government should let restaurants and bars construct smoking shelters to level the playing field with the casinos.

Source: TB Source