Pubdate: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 1999, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaSun/ Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.html Author: Antonella Artuso, Queen's Park Bureau ADDICTS CALLED DISABLED (Toronto) --Stripping welfare benefits from recipients who are addicted to drugs or alcohol could be discriminatory, says Ontario Human Rights Commissioner Keith Norton. Norton released his annual report yesterday that documents discrimination complaints and notes human rights issues with government policy. Norton said that because alcohol and drug addiction is legally considered a disability, there are potential problems with the Tory plan to force welfare recipients to seek rehabilitation or lose benefits. The commissioner said it's an admirable objective to help people come to terms with their substance abuse, but the policy can't discriminate against the disabled. The Conservative government has been labelled a human rights abuser by vocal critics, but North said his concerns are largely confined to a few areas such as drug testing of welfare recipients and disabled person's rights. "There are very few instances I can think of where the government has not been in compliance," he said, adding the government's failure so far to bring in an Ontarians With Disabilities Act is another concern. - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto