Yellowknife (May 16/03) - City councillors say they want smoking banned in Yellowknife bars as soon as possible.

Council voted 6-2 Monday to amend the bylaw and "level the playing field" between restaurants and bars.

Coun. Wendy Bisaro said she's heard from several restaurants that have lost business since the ban, while bars are expanding their food menus to attract hungry smokers.

Council would still have to approve the changes once administration amended the bylaw. Acting city administrator Tim Mercer said the bylaw could be back before council by June.

Coun. Ben McDonald said he wants administration to look at banning smoking in bars as soon as they can.

"That should be a relatively easy thing to do," he said.

The smoking bylaw was back on the table Monday night after council suggested administration review it at a recent committee meeting. Councillors Alan Woytiuk and Robert Hawkins voted against the bylaw review, both saying that smokers have a right to smoke in bars.

"Smokers have a right to smoke in these establishments and I have a right to leave if I don't like that," said Woytiuk. He also questioned whether a smoking ban is within the jurisdiction of city council and suggested they allow the territorial government to decide whether to ban smoking.

Hawkins asked for more public consultation, a suggestion several councillors and the mayor opposed. They said the public is welcome to come to future committee and council meetings if they favour or oppose a stricter smoking ban.

"Smokers have rights in private but not in public," said Coun. Blake Lyons. "To smoke in public is a privilege and not a right."

Coun. David McCann spoke in favour of a public ban.

"The science on this whole business of smoking is absolutely clear," he said. "First and secondhand smoke is a killer."