WELFARE DRUG TESTING MAY BE ILLEGAL: NORTON

The Ontario government may have to rethink its plans to cut off
welfare benefits to those who test positive for drug or alcohol
addiction, says the province's chief human rights commissioner.

Drug and alcohol addiction is recognized as a disability, said Keith
Norton, who was in Sudbury on Wednesday to hear public submissions on
issues affecting the elderly. Norton said he has met with Community
and Social Services Minister John Baird and expects to have further
meetings.

"The commission has no problem with the idea of trying to help people
who are, in fact, drug or alcohol dependent, to deal with that
problem and enable them to re-enter the workforce," said Norton.

However, Norton said he has told Baird of the law as it applies to
people with either drug or alcohol addictions, or both, and to their
human rights. It is "quite clear" from Canadian law and from various
court rulings that alcohol or drug addiction is regarded as a
handicap or a disability, said Norton. Under human rights
legislation, "discrimination on the basis of a handicap is
prohibited. So if you say to people, who either because they have a
handicap or a perceived handicap, that they must take this test,
there may very well be a legal problem," he said.