| Smoking will eventually be banned in all public places in Calgary, but not until 2008.
On September 30, city council shied away from a committee recommendation to ban smoking in all public places, including restaurants and C-Train platforms, in January 2003. They instead chose to implement a gradual approach that will see the prohibition take effect in 2008.
The bylaw was a compromise that followed a heated debate over the issue. It disappointed non-smoking advocates, but pleased some bar and restaurant owners.
Administration will work out the wording of the bylaw and bring it back to council later this year – the battle may not be over yet.
City council has pledged to spend more than $2 million upgrading the security system at city hall.
The issue was highlighted when the existing city security system failed during tests following the panic of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Aldermen say they want the system to ensure the safety of city hall workers, but its price tag raised some eyebrows during a recent council debate. When compared to the number of city hall workers, the new system will cost, in the words of Ald. Ric McIvor, "$1,000 per head."
Two new sports training facilities are being constructed at Canada Olympic Park.
The Canadian Olympic Development Organization (CODA) recently approved the construction of a $1.8 million gymnastics facility, which will house the Mount Royal Gym Club. The facility may also help train winter sports athletes in disciplines like freestyle skiing and snowboarding.
The other facility slated for construction is a "Superpipe." The 15-foot half-pipe will meet Olympic specifications and provide training ground for snowboarders.
The new projects are part of a huge expansion plan for Canada Olympic Park, a CODA initiative to help Canadian athletes compete better at international levels.
More allegations and media spinning characterized the latest week in Alberta’s Kyoto Protocol fight.
The Alberta government jumped all over TrueNorth Energy’s spending scale-back, and highlighted the company’s claim that the uncertainty over Kyoto led to the decision. The company clarified its position the next day, saying Kyoto was only a small part of its decision, but the Alberta government has not made the same correction.
The Alberta Liberals also say the provincial government is spending more on its anti-Kyoto advertising campaign than it is letting on. They claim to possess a leaked document that says $2.2 million is being spent on the campaign, which is about $1 million more than the province says it is spending.
Premier Ralph Klein, meanwhile, has plans to go on television to convince Albertans – who polls show support ratification of the Kyoto Protocol – to support him in his fight against the greenhouse gas emission reduction treaty. He says it will hurt the province’s economy.
City council is investigating the cost of converting traffic signal lights to more energy- efficient LED models.
Council may set aside money to get the project started next year, but would then rely on cost savings from the lights to pay for future conversions. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) require much less energy to operate than incandescent bulbs and often last much longer.
The Canadian Cannabis Coalition is praising the Senate’s recommendation that marijuana be legalized.
The organization supports a harm-reduction drug strategy, which basically involves treating drug problems as health, rather than criminal, issues.
The group calls the Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drug’s recommendations "visionary" and is urging the federal government to adopt the recommendation into law. |
