CHICKEN POT TRIED

A recent court ruling has reversed an old adage: In this case, the pot was
in the chicken, or poultry plant.

About three years ago, Newfoundlander Gary Locke was fired from an Ontario
poultry plant after being caught smoking marijuana. An eight-year employee,
he applied, but was promptly turned down, for employment insurance.

After appeals to the EI system, Mr. Locke went to court, where he recently
won his case. The court ruled Horizon Poultry had not told employees they
would be fired for smoking pot, and that other workers had been caught
smoking dope but were not dismissed.

Ordered to reconsider Mr. Locke's application, EI officials have since
awarded him full benefits, in this case a lump sum cheque for about $10,000.

Hopefully this won't be a precedent for smoking pot on the job site. There
may be a more liberal attitude about marijuana use, as witnessed by
proposed federal legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts.
Still, it's a long way from allowing pot in every chicken (plant).