City bingo halls fuming over Native facility
CALGARY & ALBERTA - Local bingo proprietors are smouldering at the prospect of a smokers' migration to a new Native casino on the city's outskirts.
The Tsuu T'ina Nation, which unveiled the Grey Eagle Casino Wednesday at Glenmore Tr. and 37 St. S.W., has applied for a federal bylaw to trump provincial anti-smoking legislation coming into effect Jan. 1 -- and that's bad news for competing bingo halls mandated to clear the air once 2008 kicks off.
With Grey Eagle opening its own bingo room in early January, puffing there gives the new facility an unfair advantage, said Glenda Johnston, manager of Player's Choice Bingo at 3900 12 St. N.E.
"It's totally an unlevel playing field -- in a small hall like ours it's going to have a massive impact," she said, adding she estimates 60 to 70% of her clientele are smokers.
The potential for a puffer exodus was seconded by Donna Miller, manager of the Bingo Barn at 1107 33 St. N.E.
"People go where they're comfortable," she said.
"Hopefully the Natives will come to terms with the fact their health is as important as everyone else's."
Golden Wings Bingo, formerly located at 5115 Crowchild Tr. S.W., is shifting its operations to Grey Eagle and will debut there sometime in the first week or so of the new year.
If approved, the Tsuu T'ina's Nov. 13 smoking bylaw application would come into effect Dec. 23 in accordance with the standard 40-day review period, said Indian Affairs spokesman Glenn Luff.
"Generally, when a provincial law comes into effect ... it applies everywhere, including First Nations, unless there's a bylaw that's been approved by the minister," said Luff, who noted no applications in the past 25 years have failed to generate ministerial approval from Indian Affairs.
"The bylaw that they submitted for the most part bans smoking on the reserve and in public places but does allow, under the discretion of the chief and council, designated smoking areas," he said.
The province presently has no plans to discuss the issue with Tsuu T'ina leaders, Health and Wellness spokesman Howard May said today.
Written by Doug McIntyre, Sun Media
