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Alberta
Smokes explores the forces behind the provincial government decision
to abandon a province-wide smoking ban in Alberta.
I became curious when I noticed municipalities struggling with anti-smoking
bylaws in Alberta last year. Time after time, big cities, and small
communities were trying to meet the demand of those who wanted to
eat drink or work in a smoke-free environment. The communities also
battled against a very organized lobby from businesses and indirectly
from the tobacco industry.
Around the same time, the Alberta government unveiled its much-anticipated
and controversial overhaul of the health care system in the Mazankowski
report.
A cornerstone of the Alberta government’s "Wellness"
strategy was an aggressive anti-tobacco campaign that included a
province-wide smoking ban.
The ban was strongly promoted by Health Minister Gary Mar, and was
also endorsed by the Alberta Drug and Alcohol Commission (ADAC),
an agency established and fully funded by the government of Alberta.
About six months passed before the provincial government announced
tax increases for tobacco, but there was no sign of the smoking
ban. When I started to ask questions about the ban, it was clear
many people were unhappy. The biggest obstacle to unraveling this
story was finding people who felt comfortable talking about an issue
that involves the Alberta government.
A common response I encountered was the fear of losing a job, or
falling out of favor with the government. The Conservative Party
has held power in the province for many years, and as such has a
commanding control over the civil service and funding provided to
many groups and organizations.
One of the first things I did, was to compile a chronology. From
that I could map out how events unfolded. I eventually developed
some well-placed sources who told me where the roadblocks were,
and why the ban was dropped.
I was then able to glean valuable information from anti-smoking
groups, and found that many consultants were more than willing to
suggest other leads, and point the finger at someone else.
I called a tobacco company directly, and an official confirmed the
name of one consultant who was particularly close to the Premier
of Alberta.
I read an unrelated story in the paper about how cigar makers were
upset with the Alberta tobacco tax hike. When I looked further into
the issue I discovered another closely linked Tory was working as
a consultant for this group.
The work of consultants, or lobbyists is not unusual in Alberta.
It is however, unusual to read about their work, or see any television
reports on this subject. When they discovered the angle of my story,
the consultants refused to return my phone calls. I went to air
with the line "they refused to answer my request for an interview."
That line was quite telling.
After my story aired, a major anti-tobacco lobby group in Alberta
issued a news release calling for the establishment of a lobbyists
registry. There were also questions raised in the legislative assembly
about the role of lobbyists. Curiously enough, the day after my
story was published, the Edmonton Journal ran a front-page story
about government MLAs being wined and dined by companies, or special
interest groups.
A smoking ban wasn't a particularly sexy issue to pursue, but it
certainly was sensitive. Like religion, smoking evokes strong emotions
on both sides. This was also around the time anti smoking crusader
Barb Tarbox (please read the account of her story in the photojournalism
award) was in the midst of her personal campaign to convince young
people not to smoke.
My local newsroom was very supportive in giving me time to work
on this story. The piece was shown on local television in Edmonton,
Calgary and on Newsworld. The CBC radio show, Friday scrum also
carried the piece.
There was a lot of legwork, phone calls, meetings and casual conversations.
I found the more I looked into the issue, the more people I discovered
were willing to talk. That all led to my story about why the smoking
ban was dropped, and some of the forces at work to influence government
decisions.
There are many elements that connect smoking stories, but they're
not always obvious. A number of groups work through fronts such
as restaurant, grocery and even drug store organizations. There
are advertising campaigns aimed at promoting the responsible selling
of tobacco products that are actually done to promote a product.
The issues around smoking bans, and selling of tobacco products
is highly political and sensitive. When dealing with a story like
this, it’s best to find out who works within what organization.
There may also be town hall meetings set up to discuss smoking bans
and other smoking-related issues. Reporters should look to see who
pays for the hall rental, and check the names of the speakers attending.
This issue also involves health care professionals, politicians
and retailers of almost every size and stripe. As in every story,
FOLLOW THE MONEY. The sums are very large, and any time a jurisdiction
considers a smoking ban, or tax increase, rest assured the lobby
groups will spring into action immediately. They work quietly behind
the scenes, and find a few people within the community to spread
the message. Look for the backers, and who has the money to fund
a campaign. |
