Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 19/99) - Rob Cunningham won't need smoke and mirrors when he talks with city councillors about smoking bylaw changes. That's because the information he brings to the table speaks for itself.

Cunningham is the author of Smoke and Mirrors, a book that provides an insiders view of the Canadian tobacco war. He is also the Canadian Cancer Society senior policy analyst.

He'll be in Yellowknife March 29 and 30 to publicly discuss his book and talk with local groups about tobacco control issues. He also looks forward to offering his input on the smoking bylaw debate going on at City Hall.

"I think ultimately what the final Yellowknife smoking bylaw says is something the local community can determine," Cunningham said from his Ottawa office, Wednesday.

"What I'll attempt to do is shed light on what other Canadian and American municipalities have done. I'll explain what has worked and what hasn't."

He remembers when, in 1987, the GNWT first banned smoking in government workplaces.

"It's not a new issue and since (1987) there's been many developments across North America," Cunningham said.

"There is a growing trend across North America that is moving towards a ban on smoking in all public places and work places. From a health perspective, that's extremely important and extremely desirable."

He said it's important to remember that smoking bylaws aren't aimed at the smoking public. Bylaws help protect the health of both customers and employees. They reduce smoking among smokers and they reduce the role-modelling effect that children see.

"It's a recognition that non-smokers have a right to breathe clean air," Cunningham said.

"Non-smokers should not be forced to breathe toxins against their will. This is especially true for children, pregnant women and others who are susceptible to second-hand smoke."

Regional health promotion officer, Miriam Wideman, said Cunningham will bring to Yellowknife a wealth of experience in the area of smoking policy and legislation.

"We think it's really important to work through areas of taxation, legislation and cost of cigarettes," Wideman said.

"Cunningham has a lot of policy and legislation experience and these are the areas we really have to start working at."

City councillor Peggy Near, a smoker herself, said Cunningham can offer city councillors the opportunity to ask an expert specific policy questions.

"The bottom line is we all know the health effects of smoking. What I'm looking forward to is hearing what has happened in other jurisdictions," Near said.

"If there's documentation out there telling us where other municipalities have succeeded or failed, that can only help us draft our own smoking policy here."

On Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 p.m., Cunningham will be at the Yellowknife Public Library to talk to the public about his book and other tobacco related issues.