Jump to full article: Canadian Press, 2009-09-30
Author: Steve Rennie (CP)
Intro: Canada's rookie health minister appears to have won a political tug-of-war with her Quebec colleagues over contentious changes to flavoured-tobacco controls.
The Quebec wing of the Conservative caucus had pulled for amendments that would ban some flavours and additives in cigars and cigarettes but not others.
But Leona Aglukkaq tugged back harder.
"I met with the Quebec caucus and they're in support of the legislation as is," she said Wednesday.
Bill C-32, also known as the Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing Aimed at Youth Act, would ban all flavours and additives in tobacco products except for menthol.
. . .
But Tories from Quebec pushed for changes after Rothmans warned it might have to rethink plans to expand its Quebec City plant - jeopardizing some 330 jobs - if the legislation passed without amendments.
The Quebec Conservative caucus, led by former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier, deemed the legislation too broad.
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