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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-04-09, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003. Letters to the editor County decision disappoints pub owner THE EDITOR, I was disappointed to hear that Huron County voted against the smoke free bylaw. I am writing to you today to offer some input on our experience with the non­ smoking bylaw that the City of Ottawa introduced September 2001. My partner, Robyn Guest and I have run The Manx Pub in Ottawa since 1993. It is a small one-room-basement pub that seats about 60 people. Before the bylaw was introduced, The Manx was notorious for being one of the smokiest bars in Ottawa. Needless to say, we were worried about the impact the bylaw might have on our business, however we supported the bylaw in principle since first and foremost it was a health issue and it was important for us to take a stand that supported the rights of our employees. (Most of our employees smoke). While we only represent a Jesse’s dad says thanks THE EDITOR, In the fall of 1995 - after my son Jesse and I had completed our 3,300 kilometre wheelchair push across Ontario - Jesse said to me “The smaller the town - the more people give.” I think truer words were never spoken after witnessing the tremendous outpouring of generosity in Brussels on Saturday night. On behalf of Jesse’s Journey I extend sincerest thanks and salute the Brussels Optimists for selecting our charity as recipients of the proceeds from their community dinner auction. It’s always a pleasure to visit the smaller communities that make up the fabric of Canada and to see the spirit of friendship and caring that neighbours show for each other. To have raised $12,273 is an amazing achievement on a cold winter-like night with an ice storm leaving hundreds of small segment of the bar and restaurant industry in Ottawa, I can tell you that in the first full year of business since the bylaw was passed our sales have increased by more than II per cent. Our customers have told us how happy they are now that they can come in and enjoy a meal and a pint or glass of wine in a smoke-free environment. Customers whom we hadn’t seen for a number of years are returning-some stating that this is due to the fact that we are now smoke-free. In terms of enforcing the bylaw, because it was such a highly publicized issue, we haven’t had any problems with customers beyond having to give the occasional reminder when the bylaw was initially introduced or explain the bylaw to tourists. We put a small bench adjacent to our entrance way with a large flower pot filled with sand beside it and this has met needs of our smoking patrons. electricity. When Canadians need to help one another - whether it’s through the research sponsored by Jesse’s Journey or the assistance they provide one another in tough times - it’s a credit to Brussels, Ontario that the Optimist Club is there to help. Thank you to everyone in Brussels who lent a hand in any way with Saturday night’s event through their donations to the auction - by being in attendance and by bidding on the hundreds of incredible items - a lot of them homemade by caring hands. Your generosity has helped us take a giant step forward in making life just that much better for kids like Jesse. We wish you all the best - a great growing season - and a hasty arrival of spring! Sincerely, John Davidson Jesse’s Journey. There have been some noticed shifts in business that could be attributed to the bylaw. In the first few months of the bylaw, our largest segment of growth was in food sales. When the bylaw was first proposed, The Manx joined a number of other small independent bars and restaurants formed a small lobby group called BREATHE (Bars Respecting Equal Access to Healthy Environments). We did this to lobby city council to not permit designated smoking rooms (DSRs). The reason for this was that most smaller businesses like ours do not have the money or the space to build DSRs. Allowing DSRs would have given those larger, typically big box and chain restaurants with the means and money an unfair advantage in the marketplace. The consequence of this would have been risking the loss of some of the businesses that give Ottawa’s hospitality scene its unique character. We were relieved that city council agreed. Contrary to what I believe are misinformed reports from Share Your Thoughts. Throne Speech Consultation 2003 Premier Ernie Eves wants to hear what you have to say about Ontario’s future. The results of a provincewide consultation will be reflected in the government’s April 30th Throne Speech. The Ontario Government is reaching out to all citizens, asking you - What can we do to keep Ontario strong? Our guiding principle is that a strong economy is the foundation upon which everything else is built: equality of opportunity in education, good jobs, health care you can count on, a happy retirement. The quality of life of every Ontarian depends upon the ability of the economy to fuel job creation and the prosperity necessary to fund our social programs. Give us your thoughts on Health Care, Education, Energy, the Economy, the Environment, Local Communities, Public Safety, or other matters, and we will listen and take action. PUBCO, we are not the only business experiencing the benefits of a smoke-free bars and restaurants in Ottawa. A majority of bars and restaurants have continued to prosper over the last year and a half since the bylaw was introduced. Those that have suffered tend to be bars that did not support the bylaw publicly and decided to keep operating in violation of the bylaw. In Ottawa, over 70 per cent of the population is non­ smoking so when a business decides to continue to let people smoke, it no longer caters to a majority of the population. Smoking rates are going down and to cater to this segment of society is to fail to tie your business to the wishes of your clientele. Ten years ago, if you had opened a non-smoking coffee shop people would have thought you were crazy, now it’s the norm, and coffee shop chains like Starbucks and Second Cup are thriving in Canada. That’s just one of many examples. The fact that fewer people are smoking is something that should not be ignored since if Huron County doesn’t implement a non-smoking bylaw now it will only be prolonging the inevitable. So why not be among the leaders. While it is important to consider the possible business effects of a non-smoking bylaw, I think it is more important for Huron County to take a look at the fact that a non-smoking bylaw represents a chance to ensure that workers in the hospitality industry have the same right to work in a smoke-free environment as employees in almost every other sector of the workforce. While some civil libertarians will argue that Reader applauds Singers9 concert THE EDITOR, We had the pleasure in attending the Blyth Festival Singers In Praise of Music at Blyth Memorial Hall Sunday evening. It was conducted by the new director, Robert Blackwell, a Goderich-area resident who is also the director of music at Central United Church in Strat­ ford. this is an infringement on their freedoms, I think it is difficult to argue that the right to smoke should be placed above the right to breathe smoke-free. One of the lessons I learned through our experience in Ottawa was that people, including me, are resistant to change. If the City of Ottawa had decided to do nothing our business wouldn’t be as successful as it is today and Ottawa would have missed out on the numerous health benefits it is experiencing. Sincerely, Christopher Swail (owner, The Manx Pub) Also performing were the Strathroy chorale and Ben Bolt-Martin, cellist. They sang George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, Rodgers and Hammerstem’s The Sound of Music and many more. The Blyth Festival Singers will be performing May 10 at Blyth Memorial Hall in Evening Cabaret Night. Those of you who enjoy good people shivering and without Ummm, spaghetti Davis Minielly, a student at Brussels Public School, enjoys a spaghetti lunch at the Brussels arena. All the students walked over to the arena on April 1 to participate in the event. A plate of spaghetti cost $5 with proceeds going to Jessie’s Journey. (Mary Simmons photo) Be a part of this historic consultation. Visit www.premier.gov.on.ca to fill out the consultation booklet online, call Publications Ontario at 1-800-668-9938 or pick one up at your local Government Information Centre. ® Ontario