When Bobbie Kufeldt, owner of the Talisman restaurant, brought her and other restaurant owners' concerns about the smoking bylaw to city council, she didn't mean for council to advance the Jan. 1, 2005 date bars have to fall under the new regulations.

'Don't make them step back,' she told council last night.

Next week, Coun. Bev Buckway is planning to bring forward a motion that council revisit the smoking bylaw passed by the previous council which banned smoking in all public places except bars as of last Jan. 1. Bars are scheduled to fall under the city-wide smoking ban on Jan. 1, 2005.

Kufeldt has made numerous appearances before council since the new year, representing independent restaurant owners.

She's argued the bylaw has meant a significant drop in restaurant business as patrons now eat in bars where they can also smoke.

At last night's city council meeting, Kufeldt told members she was excited at the prospect the city may revisit the bylaw.

There needs to be a level playing field for restaurants, but at the same time, council can't move the date it gave bars to become smoke-free, Kufeldt said. The bars fought to get that extra year's grace, she added.

As Kufeldt sees it, there are two ways the bylaw can be fairer for local businesses.

Ideally, restaurants could have the choice of whether to be smoke-free until Jan. 1, she said.

The other option could be that bars be smoke-free until 9 p.m. during 2004. They would then fall under the overall smoking ban, Kufeldt said.

Stephen Wattereus agreed. The 9 p.m.-deadline is a fair compromise, he said.

Wattereus is another delegate who has appeared before council a number of times in favour of the city-wide ban.

'The fact is second-hand smoke can kill people,' he said.

The bylaw is intended to help everyone, he said. He noted drinking and driving was made illegal because it kills people, a comparison his brother, Marcus, also used in his presentation.

'The right to consume alcohol was not taken away,' Marcus said.

While it takes longer, blowing smoke at someone can also kill, Stephen said.

'What it really comes down to is respect,' Marcus sad.

Thane Phillips, another delegate, argued that implementing a total smoking ban could have a detrimental impact on businesses in the short term. However, making the ban universal would create level playing field, he said.

Meanwhile, Walter Ristik noted the city has brought 'tyranny to beautiful downtown Whitehorse' with the smoking ban.

Ristik had city manager Bill Newell read his presentation to council.

'What you are doing with this smoking bylaw is morally wrong,' he argued.

If council votes in favour of revisiting the bylaw next week, it would then have to consider what options it could take with it.

Buckway said in an interview this morning she wants to move ahead with the bylaw, which could mean bars being smoke-free until 9 p.m.

She doesn't think giving restaurants the choice of being smoke-free would be a step forward in the smoking bylaw.

Buckway also wants to ensure there's discussion with business owners before any changes are made.

When the city goes through three readings to approve changes to a bylaw, there's a public input process, she noted.

'There's certainly still time for input,' Buckway said.

Mayor Ernie Bourassa was absent from Monday's meeting because he's representing the city at the Arctic Winter Games in Fort McMurray, Alta. Coun. Mel Stehelin is serving as the acting mayor.