Mr. Speaker, if the government was serious about reducing the number of people, particularly young people, who smoke it would not have reduced taxes on tobacco in 1994. This capitulation created the single biggest increase in the number of smokers in the history of Canada.
Attacking the smoking problem and the 40,000 deaths associated with it requires a three pronged approach: pricing, advertising and education.
When will the Minister of Health get serious about reducing the number of Canadians who smoke and reverse the regrettable decision of 1994?