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In a surprising move, the city council of Nanaimo, British Columbia, voted overwhelmingly to ban the city's best known culinary export, the namesake nanaimo bar, from publicly funded facilities and events. When asked for an explanation, Avril Felles, a spokesperson for the local health department, pointed to a recent study that showed an alarming rise in obesity rates, and disclosures of staff with addictions to the popular dessert. “The municipality takes the long term health and safety of its workforce seriously”, she said.

Reaction has been mixed among Nanaimo taxpayers. “Won't somebody think of the children's lunches!”, was the response from one concerned resident. Another questioned the role of this particular dessert in promoting obesity, suggesting it was exaggerated and other pastries were worse. “Maybe you can ban it from city hall... from the library, but you'll only drive it underground, onto the black market.”

Others people support the measure. One young man, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “Anything that means I have a better chance of getting a full seat on a bus is OK with me.” In fact, in an unofficial survey conducted by Decimated Research, one in four doctors agreed with restricting the availability of the dessert. However, many were reluctant to support the measure, at least publicly.

To social conservatives, it is yet one more attack on freedom of ingestion, clear evidence of the socialist agenda of liberal do-gooders and big government special interests. American talk radio host Ross Limbo, speaking on his syndicated show Lowdown on the Limbo, called it “a slippery slope toward ‘eating police’ and asked his listeners to boycott the city's tourist destinations, suggesting they avoid “Canuckistan” and travel in America instead.

The city has declined to comment on opposition to the ban, citing an upcoming town hall meeting where members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns.

Meanwhile, nanaimo bars are still legal outside of municipal facilities, though they seem to be in short supply at coffee shops and bakeries near city hall....