Sunday, January 6, 2008

Alberta, say it ain’t so!

On January 1st new anti-smoking rules came into effect in Alberta.

This has people in BC upset - Alberta stealing pinko BC’s thunder!
... In related news, Hell froze over yesterday.

Never thought we would see the day when Alberta would leapfrog
British Columbia. Never thought we would see live-free-or-die Alberta not only
match but pass B.C. in A) public health policy or B) saving the world through
regulation.

This is not the way it is supposed to be. We're the certified-organic pinkos who will chain ourselves to a bumper at the drop of a rasta hat, demanding government do something about, well, everything. They're the Kentucky-fried libertarian rednecks: "You can have my cigarettes when you pry them from my cold, grease-stained fingers."...


I suppose this confirms Canada’s status as pinko nanny state. The reputedly most right-wing province topping the nanny-statism of one of the looniest leftard jurisdictions in the land.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

See I don't see how the anti-smoking laws are incompatible with Conservative ideals (being a true-blue myself). The idea is that we should be able to do just about anything (with a few notable exceptions) as long as it doesn't harm anyone else, right? Well smoking in public areas does NOT pass the test. Prior to January 1, an attempt to go from one building to another on the University campus I work on would mean I'd have to run the gauntlet of smokers outside the door. Why the fuck should I have to hold my breath to pass through the idiots poisoning themselves outside the door? Now the morons are still out there, orally fixated on their cancer-sticks, but they're at least 5m away from the door so I don't even get a whiff of their stench. And I'm SO okay with that.

Sure... smokers have the right to smoke themselves dead and I'm happy to defend that right. BUT non-smokers have the right to NOT have to be affected by it and this new law has definitely dent us in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

See I don't see how the anti-smoking laws are incompatible with Conservative ideals (being a true-blue myself). The idea is that we should be able to do just about anything (with a few notable exceptions) as long as it doesn't harm anyone else, right? Well smoking in public areas does NOT pass the test. Prior to January 1, an attempt to go from one building to another on the University campus I work on would mean I'd have to run the gauntlet of smokers outside the door. Why the fuck should I have to hold my breath to pass through the idiots poisoning themselves outside the door? Now the morons are still out there, orally fixated on their cancer-sticks, but they're at least 5m away from the door so I don't even get a whiff of their stench. And I'm SO okay with that.

Sure... smokers have the right to smoke themselves dead and I'm happy to defend that right. BUT non-smokers have the right to NOT have to be affected by it and this new law has definitely dent us in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the dual post, btw.

Anonymous said...

Governments addicted to tax revenues from smokes seem reluctant to close down the industry yet use the working slobs health as an excuse to keep restricting individual rights. Mind you they were eager to step all over the vast majority when ramming gay marriage down our throats though. (real conservative)

hunter said...

That's too funny!! Going to send it to all my BC relatives.

To tell you the truth, both the smoking and trans fat thing bother me, look for me at the Legislature building, smoking and eating greasy gravy covered fries, pickled eggs and spam (I love fried spam), with a sign saying, "It's my right, butt out!".

JR said...

Anon, As a former smoker I tend to be a little on the self-righteous anti-smoking side myself. I'm glad that restaurants are smoke free.

For the most-part I can sympathize with non-smokers wanting to avoid smoke, but the indignant zero tolerance attitude often seems over-the-top. In general, like most popular 'causes', the anti-smoking paranoia has gone too far. The rule banning tobacco sales in pharmacies, for example, is ridiculous, overboard nanny-statism. And is that 5 meter rule necessary?

Now, to stay healthy, I think I'll hop on my bike and ride home - sucking exhaust fumes all the way.

JR said...

Hunter, Thanks. I missed your comment while I was busy replying to anon.