Canadian provinces and cities are sticking up to big tobacco and laying down the law to protect the health of people who choose not to smoke.
Alberta has followed previous examples of smoking bans and now has chosen to become the exemplar of smoking bans. The law came into effect on Jan 1, so smokers are obviously still adjusting to the change, and non-smokers are adjusting to cleaner air (I guess).
The new law, one of the toughest in Canada, will ban smoking in any public building, including restaurants and bars.
Many larger cities and towns already have bylaws that restrict smoking, but the new provincial law will ban smoking right across the province.
Anti-smoking groups say the new provincial legislation puts the province ahead of just about every other jurisdiction.