Resolutions	Recent Developments
A11-11 - Provincial Adoption and Promotion of Smoke-Free Movies to Reduce the Impact of Smoking in Movies on Youth in Ontario that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to rate new movies with smoking "18A" in Ontario, and require that such films be ineligible for federal and provincial subsidies, with the sole exceptions being a clear and unambiguous demonstration of the dangers and consequences of tobacco use or a true representation of a real historical figure, who was known to smoke; AND FURTHER that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to require producers to certify on-screen that no one involved in the production of the movie received any remuneration, compensation or anything of value in consideration for using or displaying tobacco; AND FURTHER that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to require strong anti-smoking ads to be shown before any movie with tobacco use at the distributor’s expense, regardless of rating and distribution channel; AND FURTHER that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies call for the Province of Ontario to require movie producers to stop identifying tobacco brands in films.	August 19 2011 alPHa has written a letter to the Premier urging action on this Resolution. Please click here to read. August 29 2011 Response received from the Premier. Please click here to read.
A11-3 - Call for Immediate Release of a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Strategy for Ontario THAT alPHa urgently request the Premier of Ontario (Dalton McGuinty), the Minister of Health Promotion & Sport (Margarett Best), the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (Deb Matthews), the Office of the Attorney General (Chris Bentley), the Minister of Finance (Dwight Duncan), the Minister of Revenue (Sophia Aggelonitis) and the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Arlene King), to demonstrate the entire set of recommendations within the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group report and announce a renewed, long-term commitment to a comprehensive tobacco control strategy to reduce use and exposure to tobacco products and the illnesses and deaths they cause to Ontario’s populations.	November 29 2011 alPHa has forwarded the August 19 letter to the Minister of Health and Long - Term Care as that Ministry now has responsibility for tobacco control programs. Please click here to read. August 19 2011 alPHa has written to the Minister of Health Promotion urging action on this Resolution Please click here to read.
A10-8 - Contraband Tobacco THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies commends the federal government on its recent initiatives to control contraband tobacco via the interministerial Contraband Enforcement Strategy and calls upon the federal government to enhance its efforts to control the manufacture and sale of contraband tobacco by: Increasing the cost of tobacco manufacturing licenses and licensing bonds to ensure tobacco manufacturers comply with provincial and federal legislation, Introducing tracking and tracing systems for all manufactured tobacco products to allow effective monitoring of a product’s distribution chain and any diversions. (This would also facilitate identification of illicit products and make it more difficult to manufacture illicit cigarettes), Imposing strict controls on the supply of materials to unlicensed tobacco manufacturers, Sustaining efforts to control legitimate tobacco products through increasing taxes, restricting promotion, Ensuring the success of the above measures by committing sufficient resources to their enforcement, using strong enforcement and deterrent penalties, Monitoring the use of contraband tobacco, making results public, and providing education	April 21 2011 Ontario Government announced additional licensing and enforcement measures to enhance controls over contraband tobacco. Please click here to read more. October 28 2010 alPHa has written a letter to the Premier in support of the recommendations of the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group Report, Building On Our Gains, Taking Action Now: Ontario’s Tobacco Control Strategy for 2011 - 2016 , which includes addressing contraband.  Please click here to read.  August 20 2010 alPHa has written to the Minister of Public Safety notifying him of this Resolution. Please click here to read. December 11 2009 alPHa wrote a letter to Sen. Hugh Segal supporting his recommendations for addressing contraband tobacco. Please click here to read. August 13 2009 alPHa Letter to Federal Department of Finance supporting an enhanced stamping regime to reduce trade in contraband tobacco. Please click here to read. April 1 2010 OCAT has sent a letter to the Ontario Minister of Revenue urging aggressive action on curtailing the contraband tobacco problem. Please click here to read. January 21 2009 Letter to Minister of Health Promotion urging leadership on the contraband tobacco issue. Please click here to read. June 23 2008 alPHa has written to the Premier of Ontario urging renewed efforts to stem contraband tobacco trade and availability in Ontario. Please click here to read.
A09-2 - Tobacco Advertising and Promotion THAT the Association of local Public Health Agencies: - write to the Federal Minister of Health and the Prime Minister advocating for a change to the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Act such that it includes a complete ban on tobacco advertising and promotion even where minors are prohibited by law (eg. bars and nightclubs); - request that the Provincial Minister of Health, the Minister of Health Promotion, and the Premier advocate with their federal counterparts for a complete ban on tobacco advertising and promotion; and - support national advocacy initiatives that call for further restrictions on tobacco advertising and promotions.	October 28 2010 alPHa has written a letter to the Premier in support of the recommendations of the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group Report, Building On Our Gains, Taking Action Now: Ontario’s Tobacco Control Strategy for 2011 - 2016 , which include addressing advertising and promotion.  Please click here to read.  January 4 2010 Response to August alPHa Letter received from federal Health Minister outlining the provisions of federal bill C-32 (tobacco advertising, flavour additives etc.), which received Royal Assent in October 2009. Please click here to read. October 8 2009 Bill C-32 has received Royal Assent, amending the Tobacco Act as follows: PREVIOUSLY: 22 (1) Subject to this section, no person shall promote a tobacco product by means of an advertisement that depicts, in whole or in part, a tobacco product, its package or a brand element of one or that evokes a tobacco product or a brand element. Exception: (2) Subject to the regulations, a person may advertise a tobacco product by means of information advertising or brand-preference advertising that is in (a) a publication that is provided by mail and addressed to an adult who is identified by name; (b) a publication that has an adult readership of not less than eighty-five per cent; or (c) signs in a place where young persons are not permitted by law.     AS AMENDED:   22 (1) Subject to this section, no person shall promote a tobacco product by means of an advertisement that depicts, in whole or in part, a tobacco product, its package or a brand element of one or that evokes a tobacco product or a brand element. Exception (2) Subject to the regulations, a person may advertise a tobacco product by means of information advertising or brand-preference advertising that is in (a) a publication that is provided by mail and addressed to an adult who is identified by name; or (b) a publication that has an adult readership of not less than eighty-five per cent; or (c) signs in a place where young persons are not permitted by law. August 14 2009 Letter written to the PM introducing this Resolution, urging swift enactment of Bill C-32, with consideration of expanding the prohibitions on tobacco advertising and promotion. Please click here to read.
A09-3 - Continued Investment in the Smoke Free Ontario Strategy THAT alPHa urge the Premier of Ontario, and the Minister of Health Promotion (Margarett Best), Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (David Caplan), Office of The Attorney General (Chris Bentley) and the Minister of Finance and Revenue (Dwight Duncan) to commit to the goal of preserving and enhancing reductions in tobacco use, and to this end to reinstate funding to 2008-2009 levels and in addition, enhance funding for comprehensive tobacco control efforts in Ontario. AND FURTHERMORE BE IT RESOLVED that alPHa advocate for the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy to continue to include and further enhance the role of youth within health units as a key component of prevention programming, with a planned evaluation. AND FURTHERMORE BE IT RESOLVED that alPHa communicate with and engage other provincial associations and organizations with a concern for public health to support the importance of reinstating and enhancing funding for comprehensive tobacco control efforts in order to preserve and enhance the gains made to date.	October 28 2010 alPHa has written a letter to the Premier in support of the recommendations of the Tobacco Strategy Advisory Group Report, Building On Our Gains, Taking Action Now: Ontario’s Tobacco Control Strategy for 2011 - 2016 . Please click here to read.  August 14 2009 Letter written to the Deputy Minister of Health Promotion urging reinstatement of funding to the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, with particular emphasis on the value of Youth Action Alliances.  Please click here to read.         September 11 2009 Response received from the Deputy Minister to the August 14 letter. Please click here to read