We hate to say we told you so.
(Actually, we love it and it happens all too rarely).
When City of North Vancouver council voted last year to extend the ban on smoking to 7.5 metres away from doors, windows and air intakes, we offered them praise.
But in the same smoke-free breath, we cautioned council: Don’t pass the bylaw if you don’t intend enforce it. That would only agitate the people who lobbied for it in the first place.
It was only a matter of time before someone called the bylaw office and asked them to write a ticket only to figure out the law was largely symbolic. There are questions as to whether the law can even be enforced.
The mayor says the province should be in charge of enforcing anti-smoking legislation. He’s probably right.
He also says it’s a poor use of city resources to pursue this in the courts. He’s probably right again.
And putting up new No Smoking signs will have a greater impact, he says.
Maybe.
But no one twisted council’s arm into passing the bylaw to begin with. Even after these complaints came to light, the ban has been extended into two public plazas.
We look forward to the day when anti-smoking bylaws are no longer needed because our culture has collectively smartened up and done away with the noxious habit for good. We’ve made great strides in making smoking socially taboo in the past decade.
But in the meantime, passing a bylaw (not a bysuggestion!) creates an expectation among the public that it will actually be enforced.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via emai by clicking here or post a comment below.
