Results from a smoking bylaw survey funded by the Department of Health and Social Services found the majority of participants think it's the government's responsibility to help protect children from second-hand smoke.

"We need to tackle this head-on, not in a wishy- washy way. I support option number one, which is a 100 per cent ban in all establishments and entrances by a specified date relatively soon," said deputy mayor Kirt Ejesiak at the Dec. 6 city council meeting.

Coun. Chris Wilson, who openly admitted to being the biggest smoker in the room, agreed.

After discussing the smoking bylaw for more than eight months in council, Wilson thinks it's time to take action and implement a smoking ban in all public places.

"It's the modern way to go," he said.

Wilson also said the ban might do more good than just helping people's health.

The smoking bylaw survey showed that 43.8 per cent of the smokers would not attend smoke-free bars.

"A decrease in drinkers, well gee whiz I don't think anyone is going to cry about it," he said.

Other statistics show that 67.7 per cent of the respondents had smoked one cigarette and 31 percent smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day.

Five hundred respondents were interviewed through random digit telephone dialing in Iqaluit for the survey -- a large enough sample to be considered statistically accurate -- in a city of 6,200 residents.

Mayor John Matthews declared the smoking bylaw a priority issue with council. Several legal aspects of the smoking bylaw are being investigated, including enforcing such regulations at private clubs.

Council will present a motion to move the bylaw forward sometime early in the new year.