STUDENTS FLUNK DRUG TEST

Almost Half In First Nations Oilpatch Class Initially Fail To Pass Muster

A veteran First Nations educator said he was surprised when nearly half of
a class of oil industry trainees failed a drug test.

And Norman Quinney said he's concerned the sad revelation could damage a
very promising program.

At the Frog Lake First Nation, near the Saskatchewan border between
Lloydminster and Cold Lake, the province put up $195,000 and the band paid
around $100,000 for a course that had six weeks of classroom instruction
and six weeks of practical training.

"We have come a long way here," said the Frog Lake First Nation's director
of careers, employment and training.

"What we are trying to do is to take care of the low employment situation
that we have in our community."

Those efforts suffered a blow when about 15 of 33 people in the pilot
training program gave positive samples in a drug test.

"They were placed on a 30-day suspension, or waiting period, and told to
clean up their act," Quinney said. After a re-test, "all of them passed
except one."

Now 27 of the students have industry-related work. It proves the program is
valuable, and even the shock of the drug-test results had benefits, Quinney
said.

"It was very surprising. The issues that stem from that went back to the
community for a lot of discussion."

The program, dubbed the Natural Resources Initiative, set up three trial
projects in three separate places, said provincial government spokesman
Joan McCracken.

"There was something they learned there in terms of what stage of the
program you put the drug testing in," McCracken said.

Quinney, an educator for 28 years for the band of 2,000 members, said they
won't back away from the issue.

"We're going to be testing up front."