SMITHS FALLS — Ontario health officials and supporters of a private smoking club in Smiths Falls continued to butt heads Friday as the club marked its grand opening.

The club, Doolittles, has already been charged for violating the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Kennedy said the club is private because only paying members are allowed inside.

He said the Supreme Court of Canada recently upheld the rights of private swinger's clubs in Quebec to allow sexual activity on the premises and questioned why smokers shouldn't have the same freedom.

About 10 journalists from television, radio and the print media were on hand for the occasion which concluded with brief comments from Kennedy and his legal counsel along with Randy Hillier, president of the activist Ontario Landowners Association.

Hillier also claimed the province allows casinos and race tracks to run smoking rooms that don't comply with the new legislation because it doesn't want to lose revenue.

Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. Sheela Basrur issued a statement Friday emphasizing that the ban on smoking indoors in public places does not allow any exceptions for private clubs.

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