|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
CN ON: Political Junkies James Wallace Toronto Sun (CN ON) Thursday 30 Nov 2000 Pubdate: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Author: James Wallace POLITICAL JUNKIES Dalton Demands MPP Urine Tests If the government wants to "help" drug-addicted welfare recipients by forcing them to take urine tests, MPPs should get the same consideration, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty said yesterday. McGuinty cheekily introduced a law that would make MPPs submit to mandatory drug testing or face losing their paycheque. "To quote the minister of community and social services, 'Drug addiction is a serious problem in our community,'" McGuinty told the Legislature. "We could turn our backs and pretend the problem doesn't exist here in this chamber among MPPs, but I'm not prepared to do that," he said. The law passed first reading but won't go further without government support. < It calls for the creation of an Office of Drug Testing and Surveillance of the Members of the Legislative Assembly and a urine specimen collection and testing program. The office would supervise the collection of each "member's urine specimen at least three times a year" and those who test positive or refuse to participate would lose their $78,000 salary and pension benefits. McGuinty said the point of the bill is to ridicule the government's drug testing program for welfare recipients. That program requires welfare clients to submit to random urine analysis if they are suspected of drug use and forces those caught using drugs to get treatment or lose their benefits. Social Services Minister John Baird defended his drug-testing program, saying it will help as many as 20,000 people on welfare with drug problems. "Following through on the government's policy is a high form of compliment," he said.
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!