Enoch Cree approves smoking in casino

Gamblers can bet onlighting upat the River Cree casino west of Edmontoneven aftera smoking ban takeseffect Jan. 1 for other public places in Alberta.

The council of the Enoch Cree First Nation passed its own bylaw to allow smoking at the casino, despitethe provincial ban.

Chief Ron Morin said Wednesday the casino is on federal land and therefore not subject to the provincial law.

The band's motion to allow smoking needs to be approved by justice officials in Ottawa. Morin said that smoking on thereserve has been banned in any areas where minors are present.

But Health Minister Dave Hancock said he hopes the Enoch First Nation will reconsider.

"What we're appealingto them to do first and foremost is think about the health of their residents and health of people who are working on reserve," he said Thursday.

"If they use their authority to pass a bylaw they should recognize that their authority is to pass a health bylaw and passing a bylaw to allow smoking is not a health bylaw."

The Grey Eagle casino on the Tsuu T'ina reserve, which opened Wednesday southwest of Calgary, has also indicated it will circumvent the provincial smoking ban.