06.29.2011 02:00 PM

Smoke Free Ontario is the right way to go

…so say the people.

Meanwhile, Big Tobacco’s shill, Tim Hudak, voted against the Smoke Free Ontario Act.

11 Comments

  1. MCBellecourt says:

    People are getting sick and tired of being herded like cattle, WK. I can see where the right wing is getting its success from. The left is so busy telling people what they can and cannot do that they have consistently failed to see the bigger picture. For instance, way less people are smoking, yet cancer rates, lung disease and diet-related illnesses like diabetes and hypertension are increasing among people under the age of 60.

    Feel-good legislation like anti-smoking bylaws divert attention from the lax environmental standards that have been allowed to slip through with the privatization of resources, the corporatization of food production and the ongoing push by government to allow industries to regulate themselves. It’s always easier to pick on a voiceless smoker than the big-monied business sector, isn’t it?

    Perhaps if people saw some real concern about the shit being spewed into the atmosphere and the poison loaded into the food we eat, the vote would begin to swing. Hudak is focussing on the Timmy’s crowd because it’s the Timmy’s crowd that’s going to vote him in. The bigger concerns will still be ignored in typical Conservative fashion but the Conservatives have mastered the art of fooling Joe Blow into thinking that someone is actually listening.

    Until the center-left finally “get it”, you’re gonna get nowhere fast. No matter how good the intentions, social engineering will alway leave a bad taste in peoples’ mouths.

    • Smokers are Losers says:

      Smokers are losers. In fact, smokers are generally stupid, which explains why they vote Conservative.

      No liberal worth his her her salt has ever smoked in their life, ever. Especially great progressives like John Lennon, who was a fanatical anti-smoker.

      • Bruce Marcille says:

        I guess you’ve never been to Canada’s oasis of Left, better known as Québec. Wildly Left, passionately embracing their Dumauriers. I’m from Montreal and return regularly to walk Dorchester Blvd, AKA boul. René Levesque, and am struck by the youth (another leftist base) smoking with pride.
        Highest rate of smoking in the country? Newfoundland and Labrador. (Only one Tory elected.)
        Lowest? You guessed it, ALBERTA. (All but one Tory elected.)

      • Ted says:

        Smokers may be losers, but I’ve not read a sillier comment in quite some time.

      • The Doctor says:

        Nice one. So was Rene Levesque, apparently. And just about everyone in France.

      • walt says:

        No, per Mark Halperin, he’s a dick.

    • Ted says:

      Classic “centre-right” comment, MCBellecourt. Well done.

      Rant about nanny-statism and social engineering? Check.

      Rant about hard done by “voiceless” (cough cough, is there any bigger lobby group after oil and guns?) smoker victims? Check.

      Rant about liberals not “getting it” but we do? Check.

      Write in a way that is meant to seem like caring objective advice? Check.

      But the doubleplusgood part of the comment, which I absolutely love, is how your rant about government interfering too much, about “people getting sick and tired of being herded like cattle”, ends up being about how people are not getting herded like cattle enough or about the right things.

      That part, at least, was truly unique. Well done.

  2. MCBellecourt says:

    Got news for you guys. I voted Liberal in the last election. Was going to vote NDP but changed my mind at the polling booth. But, aside from that, I think that the first party that adopts a mantra of “Live and Let Live” would draw a lot of votes, simply because the mantra is non-divisive. But, flame away at your pleasure.

    The last time I looked, Hudak is headed for a pretty strong victory. Now, I could get a surprise and see “the good guys” win, but I have my doubts.

    I’ve observed the mess Harris left behind. I’ve lived (or should I say “survived”) the mess that Gordon Campbell made of our province. Hudak becoming Premier of Ontario is certain to leave an even bigger mess. He and his ilk, however, regardless of their obvious abuse of tax dollars, will prevail because of divisive politics.

    I think, if the Liberal Party wants to get the votes back, it should stay away from anything divisive. Don’t play the game. Rise above it.

    • Ted says:

      Not flaming, just trying to make sense of your comments.

      Going after smokers is dumb because it is “herding cattle” and we don’t “get it” and take a “live and let live attitude” but instead we should be going even more strongly after environmental issues and make more of an effort to control what people spew into the air and what people eat and drink.

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