In the US, the DEA is Drug Enforcement Agency. I'm not sure why the other poster mentioned it.
IMHO, the home has to look out for all residents, not just the ones who choose to smoke. The guy chose a non-smoking facility to move into so he has to follow their rules. He chose to go outside to smoke in sub freezing temps, no one forced him. He made all of his own choices.
I'm sorry to disappoint you but, I posted in my first post, many of these places had smoking rooms just 3 months ago (grandfathered til then). It was the provincial legislation, enacted just 7 months ago that changed everything. These (7 months ago current and fine) now require $60,000 - $100,000 dollars for regulations that now say they have to have hurricane force winds, vestibules, special furniture, etc. (link provided to full requirements of act)
In other words the gov't hasn't taken away the peoples right to smoke, but they have made it inconcievable that the requirements be met. Prohibition through the back door, is what I call it.
-what business would spend that much money, when they could "encourage" (force) these 70 yr olds to quit through forcing them outside to smoke.
-a further ability to "denormalize smoking" in a generation of smokers that started when we were seeing smoking in almost every TV show, and many know how hard it is to fight for freedoms.
- spacing requirements due to size restrictions on how many people are allowed in the area at one time (for ventilation).