Mr. Speaker, here we have good old Bill C-42. I listened to the words of the parliamentary secretary carefully. Her words are that Bill C-42 will toughen the Tobacco Act.
I do not believe we should always listen to politicians as to whether or not a bill will in fact toughen legislation. I believe in asking the groups which are affected and I took the opportunity to do that. I asked the Canadian Cancer Society, the Physicians for a Smoke-free Canada, physicians' groups and nursing groups throughout Canada whether or not Bill C-42 would in fact toughen the Tobacco Act. The answer was universal. No, it would not.
The answer was really quite specific. They all said that in the short term this would significantly weaken the Tobacco Act. Interestingly enough, if this bill does come into full force it will be after another election.
It is fascinating for me to have viewed the tobacco debate from my perspective, which I must say is clouded. I am very biased in this area because of my first patient as a medical student. The patient was a veteran, a fellow who had emphysema from smoking. As I got to know him well and spent quite a bit of time with him, he ended his life virtually before my eyes. The last thing he said to me was “Doctor, please don't let the kids smoke.”
I admit to having a very strenuous bias in this area. I look for bills that will do exactly what that first patient asked me to do, which was to prevent kids from smoking. I look for bills that will help my kids, my own children, not to smoke.
I am afraid that I find Bill C-42 a weakening of the Tobacco Act. There is no other way to say it.
I also found it fascinating that the Minister of Health, who was here to debate Bill C-71, has not been present for the debate on Bill C-42. It is interesting that he presented something just prior to the last election that I do not believe he himself believes in.
The Tobacco Act was really a pretty good act. It allowed advertising in adult publications and bars where kids could not go and it prevented advertising and sponsorship directed at children.
I took the opportunity to ask the head of one of the pro-smoking groups a question about advertising for a mountain bike championship in Quebec which was held during the summer. The ads were still running today in Alberta. I saw them in my home province of Alberta this week. I asked him if he felt that advertisement did not relate to kids.
My own teenagers are keen mountain bike enthusiasts. I do not know anybody older than the age at which we can legally smoke who is that keen on mountain biking. This is a youthful activity, an activity that is directed at kids. Of course if the advertising was just to get people to go to an event in Quebec, the advertising would be stopped immediately after the event was over, but the ads are still running months later.
His response was very illustrative. He said that it is very difficult to design a program that does not have a broad overlap with youth. In terms of sponsorship and advertising, that is the only thing he said that I agree with. It is very difficult. The overspill is immense.
Where does Bill C-42 place us in terms of international tobacco interdiction? I asked a presenter from Quebec where this bill places us in relationship to Quebec.
Quebec's tobacco legislation is stronger than Canada's. The legislation in Quebec is very strong, which is not the case for the Canadian legislation. Bill C-42 is weaker than the law in Quebec.
Formula 1 racing was the issue that pushed this bill into position. Germany, France, Belgium and Britain took a very specific stand against sponsorship in Formula 1.
I have had officials say to me that Canada could not do that because we do not have as much strength and that Formula 1 will disappear from Canada. It is fascinating to note that Air Canada is now the title sponsor for Canadian Formula 1, so we have a non-tobacco sponsor.
It is also fascinating to note that Australia, a country very similar to Canada in terms of a unique Formula 1 environment, has given tobacco a specific exemption from sponsorship laws and that has to be done each year. Australia is moving toward the complete ban of tobacco sponsorship in Formula 1. Canada is weaker than Australia.
The specific amendment that has been placed on the table today I support and I would expect that most of my colleagues will support it. But might I finish this short discourse today by saying that Bill C-42 does not toughen the Tobacco Act. It weakens the Tobacco Act. I trust the health groups in Canada and their judgment on this bill far more than I trust the government.