MashTea Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 I know there is a lot of talk about anti smoking bylaws/laws on the forum, but I'm going to throw my city into the mix as one of harder cities to be a smoker in. I have included a link to an article explaining it & the actual bylaws itself if you want to have a look as well. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/smoking-ban-expands-to-greater-victoria-parks-playgrounds-1.654710 https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/bylaws/publichealthcleanairidlingtanningtattoo/3962---capital-regional-district-clean-air-bylaw-no-1-2014-%28at-second-reading%29.pdf?sfvrsn=12 To sum up some of the main points. No smoking in designated public spaces, parks (municipal, community, & regional), playgrounds, fields, beaches, etc. I am not sure if this includes sidewalks but... No Smoking within 7 meters of a bus stop, & 7 meters from doors, windows, & air intakes of buildings; making the majority Downtown area of Victoria pretty much a non smoking area. Technically this even means no smoking on your own patio if you live in an apartment building (like I do) in the Capitol Region District. Now feasibly this isn't a very enforceable bylaw, there's only an average of 1.5 enforcement officers working in the entire area on a given day. Though if you are caught & they feel like handing down a ticket to you, the fine can be up to $2,000. The people behind the bylaw have said this is going to mostly enforced by "peer pressure". For the people who aren't familiar with the area, you will get dirtier looks smoking a cigar around town here blatantly smoking weed out in public Anyways just thought I'd share what you have to deal with to be a smoker (cigar or any tobacco) in my neck of the woods.
JohnS Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Wow...interesting exception to By-law 2(1) : (3) Section 2(1) does not apply to a ceremonial use of tobacco in relation to a traditional aboriginal cultural activity. Obviously, that refers to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples? I think similar laws are been debated in Australia at the moment in regards to smoking from Apartment balconies.
MashTea Posted April 13, 2015 Author Posted April 13, 2015 Wow...interesting exception to By-law 2(1) : (3) Section 2(1) does not apply to a ceremonial use of tobacco in relation to a traditional aboriginal cultural activity. Obviously, that refers to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples? I think similar laws are been debated in Australia at the moment in regards to smoking from Apartment balconies. We have a pretty large number of First Nations groups/tribes in Canada, with a pretty diverse example out here on the West Coast. They also get special exemptions to hunting/trapping laws, fishing/whaling laws, etc. throughout the country, I imagine it's fairly similar with the aboriginal peoples in Australia?
JohnS Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 We have a pretty large number of First Nations groups/tribes in Canada, with a pretty diverse example out here on the West Coast. They also get special exemptions to hunting/trapping laws, fishing/whaling laws, etc. throughout the country, I imagine it's fairly similar with the aboriginal peoples in Australia? Believe it or not, thanks to the White Australia policy, Aboriginals weren't even considered Australian citizens until granted the vote in 1967. Gough Whitlam, Australian Prime Minister from 1972-75 (he just recently passed away at 98 years of age) truly began the reconciliation process, which is currently on-going.
MashTea Posted April 13, 2015 Author Posted April 13, 2015 Believe it or not, thanks to the White Australia policy, Aboriginals weren't even considered Australian citizens until granted the vote in 1967. Gough Whitlam, Australian Prime Minister from 1972-75 (he just recently passed away at 98 years of age) truly began the reconciliation process, which is currently on-going. Hmm I was not aware of that. We haven't exactly had great & fair history with our First Nation population either.
nick17 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Sounds like Ontario's LOVELY smoking ban... I enjoy walking down the busy downtown Toronto streets smoking a cigar it can some times clear a path 1
santela Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 I have to say, one of the upsides of living in a developing country is the smoking laws, or the lack there of. Believe it or not, for the average citizen, China actually has more freedom to offer than a lot of the developed nations. I can smoke almost wherever I want. If I feel like it, I can roam the streets with a bottle of beer in one hand and a cigar in the other, and nobody will care. 1
CaptainQuintero Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 So if you get some kind of document showing you follow the aboriginal religious beliefs, you can be exempt? Might be worth going to a local group for a few weekends!
TiminBC Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Being a fellow Victoria native I read this to say smoking is aloud in provincial and federal park land unless otherwise posted. The land below the tide mark is off limit to these overbearing nannies as well. .
canucks6024 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Sorry to hear about your loss. From BOTL on the mainland.
DrunkenMonkey Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 this stuff is just so offensive. How anyone can think of these things is amazing.
CigarDarr111 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 People in Vancouver are a little hyper sensitive about these types of issue also.. There needs to be some kind of annual rally were cigar smokers gather on the steps of the art gallery and fire up. In which we demand our equal rights to have designated indoor smoke permits for establishment that want to cater to this demographic.. Unfortunately it would probably been alot more melo than a pot rally.
Hunter1974 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 I know there is a lot of talk about anti smoking bylaws/laws on the forum, but I'm going to throw my city into the mix as one of harder cities to be a smoker in. I have included a link to an article explaining it & the actual bylaws itself if you want to have a look as well. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/smoking-ban-expands-to-greater-victoria-parks-playgrounds-1.654710 https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/bylaws/publichealthcleanairidlingtanningtattoo/3962---capital-regional-district-clean-air-bylaw-no-1-2014-%28at-second-reading%29.pdf?sfvrsn=12 To sum up some of the main points. No smoking in designated public spaces, parks (municipal, community, & regional), playgrounds, fields, beaches, etc. I am not sure if this includes sidewalks but... No Smoking within 7 meters of a bus stop, & 7 meters from doors, windows, & air intakes of buildings; making the majority Downtown area of Victoria pretty much a non smoking area. Technically this even means no smoking on your own patio if you live in an apartment building (like I do) in the Capitol Region District. Now feasibly this isn't a very enforceable bylaw, there's only an average of 1.5 enforcement officers working in the entire area on a given day. Though if you are caught & they feel like handing down a ticket to you, the fine can be up to $2,000. The people behind the bylaw have said this is going to mostly enforced by "peer pressure". For the people who aren't familiar with the area, you will get dirtier looks smoking a cigar around town here blatantly smoking weed out in public Anyways just thought I'd share what you have to deal with to be a smoker (cigar or any tobacco) in my neck of the woods. wow! I would go nuts !
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