I thought Hazel had more brains than Toronto city council. Guess I was wrong.

Consider the total amount of plastic waste generated by other sources. Would you have them banned as well? If you choose to ban the plastic bags you MUST also ban all the other plastic packaging. The other plastic waste is far greater in volume and mass and contributes a greater burden on the waste system/environment. We moved from glass and steel bottles and cans to plastic bottles and aluminium cans. Are you to ban those? I think not. (and the cans are lined with plastic.. did you know that?)
Please visit the local department and grocery stores to see the use of plastic throughout. Ask yourself the question, "Why not ban all these plastics?".

The wrapping of all toilet paper and paper towels
The wrapping around the 24-pack of bottled (plastic bottle) water
Plastic wrap over the fresh ready to go meat products (raw and deli)
Bags for bulk food self-packaging
Bags for fruits and vegetables
Bags used to pre-package many fresh food items
Plastic bottles used in packaging from water to pharmaceuticals to beauty products
Plastic used to package milk
Plastic used to line paper based beverage and dairy containers
Plastic garbage bags

We all don't have the opportunity to conveniently have a cloth bag, just at the ready. Cloth bags harbour bacteria, fungus and causes cross contamination. Think of putting that (plastic & foam) package of raw pork, chicken or beef in the cloth bag. Next time that bag is used to carry the other grocery items and is now contaminated with coliform bacteria or worse. Yikes!

Let the consumer choose what they want to use. Even before the 5 cent fee, the consumer has been paying for the plastic bags. You think we are stupid and don't know the cost of the bags are not built into the price of goods?

The plastic shopping bags we use are reused to put our trash. That gets put into the dump. We know that! What do you think we are going to put our trash into once the plastic bags are banned? We are going to "buy" "PLASTIC WASTE BAGS" that are far thicker, heavier and don't break down as readily as the present "plastic bags" being used to carry away the bought goods from the store. It doesn't change the burden of plastic going to the waste stream, does it? If you ban plastic shopping bags, ban ALL plastic bags and plastic containers. That makes more sense. (Or does it??)

The type of ban at the level of the shopping bag is not realistic and also does not truly address the burden of plastic, if that is really what you are trying to address.