Pubdate: Thu, 16 Nov 2000
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  380 Hunt Club Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5H7
Website: http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaSun/
Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.html
Author: A.J. Blauer

CRITICS SLAM WELFARE DRUG TESTS

Mandatory drug testing could turn welfare recipients into desperate street
thugs, warns an Ottawa homeless man.

"If they're going to start ... testing everyone, there's going to be a lot
of people on the street and crime's going to go up," said "Shorty," a
recovering crack-cocaine addict.

The 32-year-old man was one of many who spoke out yesterday against a
proposal by Social Services Minister John Baird to test welfare recipients
for drugs and deny benefits to those who test positive and refuse treatment.

'THREATS WON'T WORK'

Shorty said the threat of losing welfare won't scare drug addicts straight.

"If their cheque is being threatened, they're going to go out and rob other
people."

He argued that lawyers and other respected citizens do drugs like marijuana
but don't face "demeaning" government tests.

"Bottom line, it's really a violation of human rights," said Claire Lacelle,
community relations co-ordinator of Amethyst Women's Addiction Centre in
Ottawa.

She wondered if the government plans to increase treatment services in the
province, though she predicted addicts would fall through the cracks anyway.

Richard Garlick, communications director at the Canadian Centre on Substance
Abuse, said addicts can't be expected to act rationally if their benefits
are cut off.

"Taking their money away is not likely to push them into treatment. It's
likely to push them into more drug use."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Don Beck