VETERAN LAUDS COURT; SCHOOL SEARCH NOT LAWFUL

A World War Two veteran who endured the Nazi invasion of his homeland
says Canada's Supreme Court got it right when it ruled random school
drug searches violate privacy rights.

Sarnia resident Corey Degroot said once you give police powers to
conduct random searches in schools, it leads down a slippery slope.
"That's how it started in 1933 Germany," said Degroot. "Then you have
sort of a police state."

Opinion has been divided since the Supreme Court of Canada ruled last
week on two cases, including whether a Nov. 7, 2002 random police
search at St. Patrick's High School in Sarnia was
unreasonable.

Students were confined to classrooms for about two hours as police
officers, with the aid of a drug-sniffing dog, searched the school.
One student was charged after marijuana and magic mushrooms were
found in a backpack.

In a precedent-setting ruling, the high court said police need
reasonable suspicion of a specific crime before conducting such a
search.

On Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said the
Conservative government will abide by the ruling, but must also
protect high school students and the general public from drug pushers.

He hinted the Harper government would draft legislation to expand
searches, because he is concerned the ruling could lead to challenges
of dog searches at airports.

Several former St. Pat's students said Wednesday they understand why
the government is frustrated by the decision.

"I remember being locked in my classroom. I thought it was necessary
to do," said Matt McAuley, 21.

Friends Jessica Shoults, 20, Kristen Nicolai, 19, and Rachel
Runstedler, 20, said they never had any objection to police entering
the school with drug-sniffing dogs to conduct random searches.

"It's making our schools safer. Drugs are illegal," Nicolai
said.

Runstedler said drug use was rampant at high school and action was
needed. "It was ridiculous. At lunch there were 15 to 20 kids getting
high."

But Degroot said its dangerous to ignore Canadian Charter rights
guaranteeing against unlawful search and protecting personal
privacy."That's what we had in Holland. If you lose those privileges
it turns into a police state," he said. "That's why I fought in the
war. I was there in 1933 and that's how it all started."