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.