Airspace makes available, right here on this site, the documentary film "Death in the West", which tells the story of six real "Marlboro men".

The film was produced by Thames Television. Philip Morris tried, unsuccessfully, to supress the film. Here's what they don't want you to see:

 QuickTime video (32 minutes)

After all, the tobacco industry and the GS have been very proud partners -- in promoting the #1 leading addiction... which, in turn, is responsible for the leading causes of disease, disability and premature death -- for decades! They haven't had a falling out, have they? Or perhaps one of the senior staff at the GS has developed smoking-induced lung cancer? Or -- and I'm really going out on a limb here -- perhaps the GS has found its conscience!?!

Whatever the problem might be, I'm sure it's just a temporary glitch; nothing that tens of thousands of blood-stained dollars won't fix!

While there may have been a few brief breaks in the butt ads in the past, the GS has been consistently running tobacco ads for years... both chewing tobacco/snus ads and butt (cigarette) ads. Recent issues have contained as many as four full-page ads for one 'new and improved' butt or another.

As far as that pesky federal law that outlaws tobacco advertising, who cares? It's so full of loopholes that you could drive a stolen semi loaded with contraband cigarettes through it! While the GS may not be violating the letter of the [very weak] law, it is blatantly violating the intent of the law. And then there's the small matter of a World Health Organization treaty -- the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control -- that Canada ratified years ago. Whether it's provincial or federal law -- or the FCTC -- tobacco-friendly governments clearly don't give a damn, regarding beefing up existing legislation or, where necessary, creating new legislation...and, of course, when required, enforcing the law.

Here's one more theory, regarding the noticeable absence of butt ads in the August 7 issue: Maybe it's because the cover story has the words "crisis" and "genocide" in it ("crisis darfur: On the eve of the Beijing Olympics, Mia Farrow is highlighting China's contribution to genocide").

With all due respect to everyone in Darfur, nobody...NOBODY...does 'crisis and genocide' -- not to mention rape and pillage --quite like the tobacco industry!

A letter to the editor published in the Globe and Mail:

Funny as your Aug. 2 editorial cartoon was - likening tobacco executives to sewer rats - it truly is an example of art imitating life. Just a day earlier, after the $1.15-billion fine was imposed on Canada's two leading cigarette manufacturers, Imperial Tobacco spokeswoman Catherine Doyle told CTV, "We realize ... we're going to take a hit to our reputation because of this."

She should be fined another billion dollars by the irony police for that statement. When your industry pushes products that lead 45,000 Canadians to an early grave every year (according to Health Canada), what reputation do you have for anyone to hit?

Stan Shatenstein
Contributing Editor, Tobacco Control

Errol E. Povah
President, Airspace Action on Smoking and Health

Imperial Tobacco Canada (actually BAT) and Rothmans Benson and Hedges have agreed to pay a total of more than $1-billion in fines and settlement costs for their corporate involvement in smuggling from 1989 to 1994. Article in the Globe and Mail:  Cigarette firms pay $1-billion in record fines, settlement (check out the comments)

The next question is, when will former PM Paul Martin and former RCMP Commissioner Norman Inkster face prosecution for their role in this?

We were pleased to take advantage of this opportunity to network with other environmentalists and discuss our common concerns.

For more information on Burns Bog, see the Burns Bog Conservation Society page: http://www.burnsbog.org/

Editor, 24 Hours:

Controversial and difficult to define as the word "hero" always has been (it's both used too loosely and, even in well-earned/deserving cases, is often denied by the recipient), I've rarely associated it with either the Nobel Peace Prize or the Order of Canada.

In any case, if Alex G Tsakumis ("Morgentaler's hardly a hero", July 11) is seriously looking for people undeserving of either of the above-mentioned honours -- or the title "hero" -- he need look no further than Paule Gauthier, Doug Bassett and Pierre des Marais II.

"Who are they?", you're probably wondering. So glad you asked.

They're Canadian tobacco executives (See "Three mass tobacco murderers members of the Order of Canada" on calgaryeyeopener.com)... part of an industry that is directly responsible for more deaths (worldwide) EVERY 6 HOURS than all of the 9/11 attacks! Sort of makes you wonder who the real terrorists are, doesn't it?

All recipients -- at least those with a conscience -- should have returned their Orders of Canada the day the honour was bestowed upon those three murderous bastards!

Errol E. Povah

British American Tobacco (BAT), the London-based multinational that sells Players, Du Maurier, and Matinee cigarettes in Canada, has once again been exposed as a liar on the subject of cigarette marketing and sales in the Third World; in this case, Nigeria, Malawi and Mauritius. The latest expose comes from Duncan Bannatyne of BBC News: Tobacco giant 'breaks youth code' (click here for a PDF version.)

The story documents BAT efforts to facilitate the sale of single cigarettes, and shows 11-year-olds purchasing these cigarettes. The spokesman for BAT in the story, Professional Liar Chris Proctor, states "If that was the case, that is disappointing, it's certainly not what we would wish to happen." Reporter Duncan Bannatyne says, "British American Tobacco is the unacceptable face of British business."

As stated previously on this site, a letter sent to all 305 Members of Parliament by Airspace president Errol Povah (in which he calls on the federal government to administer a billion-dollar buy-out fund/exit strategy (that won't cost tax-payers a cent) for about 1,500 Canadian tobacco farmers) was mentioned in the House of Commons -- in a very positive/supportive manner, by Southern Interior (B.C.) NDP MP Alex Atamanenko -- on Tuesday, June 10, 2008... the same day, by the way, that Povah returned from a major international anti-tobacco conference in Washington, DC.

Just three days later (yes, Friday the 13th), Airspace was once again mentioned in a rather prestigious setting: Attending his first Vancouver Board of Trade function, Povah -- and Airspace -- was formally welcomed as one of the newest members of the Board... on board the Holland America cruise ship, the MS Veendam.

The "dam ship" (as all 14 Dutch-named of the fleet are affectionately nick-named, since every one of their names [Amsterdam, Eurodam, Maasdam, etc.] ends with "dam") didn't go anywhere; we were securely tied up at the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver!

It was an incredible 3.5 hours; in addition to a lot of very valuable networking, the group of about 70 Board of Trade members and guests did a little self-guided tour of the ship and enjoyed an awesome lunch, then listened to a very inspirational and motivational speech (about giving back to the community, etc.) by Peter Legge... who has, among many other things, played a major role in raising tens of millions of dollars for GlobalTV B.C.'s Variety Club Telethon over the years, etc.

After Legge's speech, the MC welcomed Airspace and a couple of other new members. Much to Povah's chagrin, nobody from Imperial Tobacco -- also a member of the Board -- stood up and objected to Airspace's membership.

In addition to networking and furthering Airspace's agenda (ultimately, the total eradication of the tobacco industry from the face of the planet), Povah will be lobbying the Board to give Imperial Tobacco the boot: Tobacco companies are not "good corporate citizens" -- and have no place whatsoever in an organization like the Vancouver Board of Trade -- no matter what kind of spin they put on their sleazy, despicable and murderous business.

I have before me a motion that was passed in the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, which called upon the federal government to immediately implement an exit strategy for tobacco producers consistent with the most recent proposal they had submitted and that it be reported to the House. What is interesting is that the motion passed, but the members of the government voted against it. I cannot quite understand it. Members of the governing party are in agreement with most people and they are saying that some kind of an exit strategy is needed, yet when it comes to a vote in the committee, some kind of directions are received that they have to vote against it. That does not make sense to me.

I have a letter written by a gentleman by the name of Errol Povah, president of Airspace Action on Smoking and Health, addressed to the Conservative member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East, in which he asks the government to do what is right for tobacco farmers. Copies of this letter were sent to 305 MPs.

Once the industry is not viable and people have invested in it, we have an obligation not only financially, but morally to ensure that these folks have some kind of an exit strategy. I must emphasize once again that we are not saying that they need X number of dollars from government and we have to help them out. What I and others are saying is we need a lead on this from the federal government.