BILL WOULD ALLOW COURTS TO DEMAND URINE SAMPLES

The Harper government has tabled a bill that would restore a power
for the courts to order offenders to surrender urine samples or
other bodily fluids if they are on probation and suspected of
violating an order not to drink or take drugs.

The ability to demand random samples was struck down three years ago
by the Supreme Court of Canada, which invited Parliament to craft
legislation that complies with the Charter of Rights.

Until 2006, police and probation officers routinely demanded bodily
samples from individuals who were on probation, serving conditional
sentences at home, or subject to peace bonds.

Under the revamped regime proposed yesterday, judges would be able to
impose drug-and-alcohol prohibition orders that would permit police
and probation officers to request samples only when there is
reasonable grounds to believe that an individual has breached a
condition of their release, the Justice Department said.