Pubdate: Sun, 19 Nov 2000
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 The Toronto Star
Contact:  One Yonge St., Toronto ON, M5E 1E6
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Author: Allan Ryan, Staff Reporter

WELFARE WORKERS REFUSE TO AID IN DRUG TESTS

Union members balk at provincial plan to screen recipients of social assistance

Ontario's social service workers have vowed they won't do the ``dirty 
work'' in the province's plan to test welfare recipients for drugs.

Some 60 members of the social services sector of the Canadian Union of 
Public Employees agreed unanimously yesterday that they won't comply with 
the Mike Harris government's latest initiative in welfare reform.

``Essentially, what these workers who deal with our most vulnerable are 
saying is that they will no longer be used by the heartless Tories to do 
their dirty work for them,'' said Sid Ryan, Ontario president of CUPE, 
which represents about 15,000 social service workers in the province.

``They are taking a stand by not co-operating willingly with the continuing 
intimidation of the poor.''

The provincial government hasn't yet revealed what role it would require 
the caseworkers to play in the process. But general concern about the idea 
got the issue added at the last minute to the agenda of an annual 
conference of close to 200 CUPE leaders from across Ontario. The gathering 
also passed another resolution calling for a series of public hearings that 
will parallel those planned by the province during six weeks of 
consultation scheduled with municipalities and legal experts.

``We think the Tory public hearings will be a sham,'' Ryan said.

``We want to set up alternative hearings to attract those people who would 
not even be invited to the others - for instance, the Ontario Coalition 
Against Poverty, the homeless folks, the people on welfare.''

Beyond the legal and ethical implications of the government plan announced 
Tuesday - get tested for illegal drugs or lose your benefits - Ryan argued 
that implementation of such a proposal would only increase workload and 
stress for already underfunded agencies. ``It'll be up to our caseworkers 
having to go out and break the news (of the loss of benefits),'' said Ryan. 
``We'll be the ones having to justify it . . . having to argue it.

``And it used to be two caseworkers going into a home. Now, there's just 
one. Some of these people will be desperate and we're there to take away 
the very last strand of their safety net. There could be dangerous 
situations.''

Social Services Minister John Baird said last week that those who test 
positive for illegal drugs and refuse treatment will be cut off from social 
assistance.

Helen Gibb-Gavel, committee co-ordinator for the social service workers at 
this weekend's CUPE conference, suggested the drug-test plan ``might just 
be another issue to take some of the light off other things - the Walkerton 
situation, the wage increase (the proposed 42 per cent raise for MPPs).''

The plan, which would be the first in Canada, has angered activists who say 
such a move would violate human rights, and harm children and single 
mothers. Ontario Human Rights Commissioner Keith Norton has said he's 
concerned the proposal would violate civil liberties.

Baird has insisted the plan is altruistic and not punitive, though he 
conceded it may involve the police.

``Our government is not prepared to simply turn its back and write anyone 
off,'' Baird has said. ``It's difficult to get a job if you're addicted to 
drugs.''

Baird said he isn't sure how many welfare recipients are fighting 
addictions. But he added only 250 people are on the Ontario Disability 
Support Program because of an addiction.
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