Casinos on native land not subject to law, but will comply voluntarily

The days of puffing while playing slots at casinos across Ontario will come to an end on June 1 with the implementation of Ontario's new smokefree workplace law (which requires all public and work places to be smokefree). Two casinos, Casino Rama and the Great Blue Heron Casino, are not subject to the law because they are built on natives' land, but they will go smokefree anyway. At Casino Rama, the Mnjikaning First Nation passed its own bylaw similar to the one adopted by the Ontario government, said spokesperson Jenna Hunter. At the Great Blue Heron, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, who own and claim legal jurisdiction over the casino located on their reserve, will voluntarily go entirely smokefree at the end of this month. "Many employees and customers have come to expect smokefree facilities and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation will make their smokefree regulations effective at the same time as Ontario's," Chief Tracy Gauthier said in a statement. Gauthier said input from casino patrons and the operation's 700 employees convinced community leaders it is time to ban the butts. To send a letter in support of smokefree air where YOU live, go to www.smokefree.net/alerts.php

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