In the 1980s the Whistler Question began posing a question to three to six people and publishing their responses under “Whistler’s Answers” (not to be confused with the Whistler Answer). Each week, we’ll be sharing one question and the answers given back in 1986. Please note, all names/answers/occupations/neighbourhoods represent information given to the Question at the time of publishing and do not necessarily reflect the person today.
Some context for this week’s question: Smoking bans were not introduced in some municipalities in BC until the late 1980s and 1990s and provincially in the early 2000s. Some restaurants, however, began introducing non-smoking sections before any bans were put in effect. In June 1985, council considered a no-smoking bylaw after a letter from the Coast-Garibaldi Health Unit suggested a bylaw to increase the number of smoke-free areas in the community. The matter was then passed on to the Chamber of Commerce and the Whistler Resort Association for comment and members of the community were consulted. Some members of council supported the idea, but not everyone in Whistler was on board.
Question: What do you think of mandatory non-smoking sections?
Janet Mattson – Owner/Manager
I oppose a mandatory bylaw. It puts the restaurant owner on the spot, knocking off a third of your tables. You have to have a hostess at the door, and unless you have big, ugly signs on the wall you can’t enforce it. I’ve never had any problems with the voluntary system. If a person requests a non-smoking area, you seat them in an area where no one is smoking. We shouldn’t be affected though, because your liquor licence determines whether you’re a bar or restaurant.
Joel Thibault – Owner/Manager
I think it’s going to be part of the routine. People expect it, and the more we realize that, the easier it will be. It’s easier for us because we have a large restaurant, but for small places it will be hard. It does give everybody the privilege of their choice, and the more we can accommodate the public, the better.
Lawrence Black – Owner/Manager
I’m a non smoker and we’ve always kept a no smoking area, but it’s hard to enforce. When you run out of smoking tables and people light up in the no smoking section, what are you supposed to do? Phone the police to avoid being fined? It’s hard to keep a designated section. It needs to be flexible. It will be expensive for the municipality to enforce, and a waste of time. I think it’s a bad move.