THOSE WITH NOTHING TO HIDE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR

Random drug testing has arrived in the Yukon.

No, not on the playing fields but in the workplace.

Dakwakada Forest Products Inc., which is owned by the Champagne and
Aishihik First Nation, began to randomly test its employees for controlled
substances, like cocaine and marijuana and heroin, earlier this summer.

The names of all the employees go into a hat and one lucky soul is picked
every two weeks to provide a urine sample for testing.

So far, everybody has passed, which is most admirable.

But if anyone fails the test, the company lays them off and helps them to
get treatment for their problem.

If anyone refuses to take the test, they are immediately suspended without
pay until they comply.

The most recent test subject was Paul Birckel, the president of the Haines
Junction-based company, which owns the only operating sawmill in the Yukon
at the moment.

His test results won't be know for another few days.

But the former chief of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation is quite
confident he'll pass with flying colors.

Over the years, he's always tried to set a good example for his people. He
doesn't do drugs and encourages others to follow his lead.

Furthermore, he thinks the tests are necessary because drug use has
escalated since the sawmill started pumping lots of money into his community.

"I think it's important," he told us last week. "Somebody has got to get
something going. It's a pretty big problem up here."

In its first year of operations, the mill has contributed about $1 million
in wages to the local economy, company officials figure.

More importantly, it's helped a lot of local people get off social
assistance and unemployment, which is the first step in building up
someone's self-esteem and self-confidence.

The mill currently has 16 full-time employees but it has provided up to 46
full-time jobs during its peak periods.

But doing drugs and working in a sawmill are not compatible.

The risk of death or injury are very high, so the company hopes to reduce
the incidence of accidents by ensuring all its employees are clean.

But, more importantly, it's also doing this to help the greater community.

As far as we know, no other company operating in the Yukon tests its
employees for illegal drugs.

Ditto for any level of government, whether it be federal, territorial,
municipal or aboriginal.

In fact, we've never heard anyone in politics or business suggest that this
might be one way to combat the Yukon's illegal drug problem.

If people knew they had to stay drug free to hold onto their jobs, perhaps
they'd think twice before snorting up, lighting up or shooting up.

But the Yukon's public-sector and private-sector employers are leery of
even broaching this subject because it's such a hot potato.

Some people argue that random drug testing in the workplace is an
infringement of their privacy and a violation of their rights.

They say that what they do when they're not at work is nobody's business
and no employer, no matter how worthy their intentions, should be able to
compel them to take a drug test.

But the people who own and run Dakwakada Forest Products Ltd. would
strongly disagree.

(Apparently, the Yukon Human Rights Commission was asked for its opinion on
random drug testing in the workplace by Dakwakada Forest Products Inc. and
said it had no problem with it.)

The people who own and run Dakwakada Forest Products Ltd. know that tough
measures, and not just tough talk, are needed if we hope to make a
significant dent in the Yukon's drug abuse problem.

What this First Nations-owned-and-run company is trying to do is exemplary
and deserves all our support.

In fact, we would challenge all other employers in the Yukon - in both the
private and public sectors - to follow suit if they believe a significant
number of their employees might be using illegal drugs.

If you have nothing to hide, you should have nothing to fear from random
drug testing.

Congratulations, Paul Birckel and company!