Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
YELLOWKNIFE - City councillor Paul Falvo wants to look at creating an anti-spitting bylaw to keep the streets of Yellowknife saliva-free.
Falvo began discussing the issue after it was suggested to him by a constituent last week. He said he agreed that the practice is unattractive and unhygienic.
"People want something done about it," said Falvo.
"Education and public awareness is great but I wonder if people walking over the pavement will not spit because of a poster."
Coun. Bob Brooks said that the possibility of an anti-spitting bylaw was brought up a few years ago. It never passed because of enforcement concerns.
"There wasn't enough support to go ahead with it. Not because it was a bad idea, but because it wasn't enforceable," said Brooks.
He said they would likely have to hire an additional five bylaw officers to enforce the rule. Brooks said he would prefer addressing the issue through public awareness campaigns, rather than an unenforceable rule.
Coun. David McCann took a similar position to Brooks' when asked.
"I'd rather work on the head space idea, get people thinking along the same lines," said McCann.
As a practice, spitting raises both aesthetic and public health concerns among councillors.
"It seems like a health issue to me, but I don't have the empirical evidence on this," said Falvo.
Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief medical officer with the Department of Health and Social Services, said that spitting outside is less of a health concern than spitting inside.
"The environment does have a way to deal with it, the rain will wash it off, it will dry in the sun," said Corriveau.
He said he certainly would not discourage council from passing an anti-spitting bylaw. Diseases, like the recent outbreak of tuberculosis, are spread through saliva, as are meningitis and common cold viruses.
Corriveau said spitting out of a car is of particular concern as it could easily land on someone.
The issue will likely be discussed at the next city council meeting Aug. 20.
