Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for London-Middlesex, I wish to add my voice today to those countless numbers of Canadians who are calling on the federal government to take more stringent action against tobacco products. Such actions could take several forms, including declaring tobacco to be what it is: a hazardous substance.
It is my belief and that of many of my constituents that the use of tobacco represents the most serious avoidable threat to the health of Canadians today. In fact, this is much more than a belief; it is a proven fact which should cause governments at all levels to take whatever positive steps they can to address this enormous health threat.
I call on this government to enact legislation that will designate tobacco products as hazardous and strictly regulate its manufacture, marketing and distribution.