Yellowknife (Dec 10/03) - A bylaw that makes Yellowknife smoke-free scraped through a marathon city council meeting, Monday.

City council heard 20 impassioned pleas for and against smoking in bars and restaurants during the five-hour meeting before voting to uphold the smoking bylaw.

More than 150 spectators overflowed the council chambers and packed the foyer of City Hall, where a close-circuit television gave them a view of democracy in action.

Health care professionals, Tobacco Action Yellowknife and the Canadian Cancer Society told council that turning away from a smoking ban would be a backward step.

"Bar owners have been cashing in on smoker's addictions for far too long," said Paula Scott, a veteran of 10 years in the hospitality industry.

"Your choice has not been taken away, only the choice of others," Scott said.

Business owners and their supporters spoke passionately in favour of altering the bylaw to reduce its impact on the their revenue.

David McPherson, past-president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, said bars and restaurants have lost business since the smoking ban took effect Oct. 1.

"The industry is hurting," said McPherson, who spoke in favour of an amendment that would have allowed smoking after 10 p.m.

Reduced income

Peter Austin, a coffee supplier, said the ban has reduced the income of restaurant and bar owners and their serving staff.

"Let's support our people. We need smoking back -- give them a year," he said.

Dan Wong, a high school student and Yellowknife Centre candidate in the territorial election, asked council to "please leave the smoking bylaw alone."

He urged council to "vote in the interest of public health and safety.

"There is no safe exposure level to second-hand smoke."

Coun. Blake Lyons said he spent the last week visiting clubs and bars throughout the city.

"When I looked at the resolutions we had before us, there wasn't a cure there. There wasn't a fair remedy. It was a no-win situation. All we can do now is hope the market improves," Lyons said.

Coun. Mark Heyck, who also voted against changes, said he was pleased the bylaw will remain as is.

"You have to respect the decisions of previous councils and I think we deliberated a long time on this issue and it's time to move on," Heyck said.

Coun. Doug Witty, Alan Woytuik and Bob Brooks voted for a look at designated smoking rooms, but that was rejected by Mark Heyck, Blake Lyons, David McCann and Kevin O'Reilly.

A motion to allow smoking in bars after 10 p.m. until May 1, was also defeated. Brooks, Woytuik and Witty backed the proposal; Lyons, McCann, Heyck and O'Reilly voted it down.

Coun. Wendy Bisaro was absent.