WELFARE DRUG TESTING REFUSED

Union: We won't do it

Ontario's social-service workers say they won't participate in a program
that would kick welfare recipients off assistance if they refuse drug tests.

More than 50 social-service delegates from the Canadian Union of Public
Employees flat-out refused to participate in the Tories' latest welfare
reform initiative. The unanimous decision was made this weekend at CUPE's
annual conference.

"Essentially what these workers ... are saying is that they will no longer
be used by the heartless Tories to do their dirty work for them," said Sid
Ryan, CUPE's Ontario leader.

As many as 20,000 welfare recipients could be targeted under the mandatory
drug-testing and treatment program -- proposed at Queen's Park last
Tuesday -- or risk losing assistance cheques.

"We refuse to do any type of work which will further marginalize poor
people," Ryan said. "We don't yet know the details of how the program will
be implemented but we will definitely look at a court challenge if this goes
through."

Community and Social Services Minister John Baird recently said a large
portion of the Tories work-for-welfare program has been challenged in courts
and he doesn't expect this to be different.

"I guess if we were deterred every time someone threatened to sic a lawyer
on us, we wouldn't have gotten very far in welfare reform," he said. The
program has yet to be tried in any jurisdiction in Canada. Under it, addicts
who refuse medical help will suffer consequences, he said.

Ryan said taking away financial assistance from addicts isn't the answer and
it's unethical to mandate drug testing.

"Also, our caseworkers are already overworked and our agencies are
underfunded," he said, adding that many of the 15,000 social workers which
CUPE represents don't want to enforce the Tory plan.

"It's unfortunate that those who work in social services in the community,
who are by nature compassionate and caring, are forced to carry out the
distasteful policies of this inhumane government," Ryan said.