Tanning bill set to become law

A bill which would ban youth from using tanning beds will be fast-tracked, the provincial government has promised.

The legislation is based on a private member's bill from Nickel Belt MPP and Health and Long-Term Care critic France Gélinas, who had been trying to pass the bill for about four years when the province adopted it last winter.

At the time, Gélinas told Northern Life she was more than willing to give the bill to the government because they can pass it into law far more quickly than she can.

But Government House Leader John Milloy and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews said in an Aug. 22 joint statement that the opposition has been “blocking the legislation for months,” but has since agreed to fast-track the bill.

“The opposition blocked progress on Bill 30 last spring by needlessly extending debate on three other bills for more than 55 hours - far more than required,” the statement said.

“By running out the clock debating the Local Food Act, the Air Ambulance Amendment Act, and Co-op Housing legislation, the opposition prevented this important tanning bed legislation from moving forward.”

When the legislature reconvenes next month, the government will move a programming motion and, if necessary, a time allocation motion, in order to quickly pass this life-saving bill into law by the end of September, the statement said.

The bill would ban minors from tanning, create a registry of tanning beds, mandate warning signs be put up next to tanning beds and require those working in tanning salons to receive training and advise fair-skinned clients against tanning.