Hospitality Industry Standing Committee

on Indoor Air Quality

NEWS RELEASE

C/O #109-14914-104th Avenue

Surrey, BC V3R 1M7

Tel: 604.589.5177 Fax: 604.589.9130

Premier Miller needs to invoke "alternative mechanisms"

Vancouver, December 29, 1999...In an antagonistic and confrontational letter, the WCB has rejected the hospitality industry’s ventilation solution two days before a scheduled province-wide smoke ban.

Vance Campbell of the BC Cabaret Owners said "We knew all along that this regulation is not about protecting workers' health. It is about stopping people from smoking. While that may be a worthy objective, our industry and our workers can not afford to be the guinea pigs for social engineers. Our lawyers are looking at the response from the WCB, and we will determine our next actions shortly."

Mark von Schellwitz of the Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association said, "cooperation and reasonable negotiation have obviously failed as a tactic. The Premier must now act on his word and invoke ‘alternative mechanisms’.The last thing we need in the current economy is more chaos, layoffs and uncertainty."

Al Arbuthnot of the Liquor Licencees and Retailers said "The only question remaining for Dan Miller is ‘How many layoffs will it take for the government to take action?’ There were only 350 jobs at stake at Skeena Cellulose, and the government bailed them out with $500 million. We're asking for a hand up, not a hand out."

The hospitality industry remains committed to implementing the ventilation solution. It is a reasonable, rational, and realistic approach to protecting workers health and saving jobs.

The Premier has been provided with a daily update of job losses by community. As of December 29th, more than 60 establishments have issued more than 250 layoff notices. An equal number of individuals have had their hours reduced because of the uncertainty that surrounds this regulation.

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For more information:

Mark von Schellwitz Vance Campbell Al Arbuthnot

Canadian Restaurant BC Cabaret Owners Liquor Licensees and Retailers

& Foodservices Association 604.331.7992 or 604.250.1154

604.685.9655 cell 604.788.6353