Tobacco - Not Jobs - Harper's Welland Focus

Source from:  September 17, 2008 thespec.com The Hamilton Spectator 09/18/2008

On the day after Henniges Automotive laid off 200 workers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper chose Welland to announce his government is setting its sights on flavoured tobacco. Harper swept into town this morning to campaign for Conservative candidates in next month's federal election. He promised tough new measures aimed at discouraging tobacco access and marketing to children. The prime minister made little mention of Canada's economy, which has seen thousands of job losses throughout Niagara and the Golden Horseshoe. In Welland alone, 1,000 people have just lost their jobs at Henniges and John Deere. About 30 protesters gathered to greet Harper at Casa Dante Lodge on Lincoln Street. They were kept across the street from the leader and didn't get a chance to speak with him. The Conservative leader says one in four young people are smoking and he's blaming that partly on targeted marketing by tobacco companies. Harper says his government would ban the use of flavours and additives - like bubble gum and cotton candy flavouring - that heighten tobacco products' appeal to children. The Tories would require cigarillos to be marketed in packages of at least 20 so that they are less affordable to children. Currently cigarillos can be bought in packages as small as four for as little as a toonie. Harper says the Conservatives would also prohibit tobacco advertising on Internet sites and in publications that appeal to youth. During this campaign, Harper has repeatedly said it is not the government's job to protect manufacturers from a changing economy. Instead, he says the government must help workers and companies prepare for the future. Speaking outside the John Deere plant yesterday, NDP Leader Jack Layton promised $100 million for skills training and the manufacturing sector. Enditem