TROOPS HELD BACK

17 Denied Afghan Mission After Positive Drug Tests

CFB VALCARTIER, Que. -- Seventeen soldiers who tested positive for illicit
drug use won't be taking part in the war on terror in Afghanistan. "The
reason why we didn't want to deploy them is for security reasons," Canadian
Forces spokesman Capt. Mario Couture said yesterday.

"We can't afford to have people under the influence of illicit substances
while they're conducting patrols."

A total of 19 soldiers in a unit headed to Afghanistan tested positive. Two
of the soldiers were not scheduled to go to the strife-torn area.

A total of 29 soldiers were tested for drugs after military police -- aided
by drug-sniffing dogs -- searched CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City, this
week after they received a tip.

The military couldn't immediately say which drugs had been detected and
were awaiting results of tests of drugs seized.

A small quantity of drugs was found during the search of several offices
and lockers belonging to the 3rd Battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment.

The 3rd Battalion, which comprises 600 soldiers, will be shipping soldiers
to Afghanistan until mid-month and some have already arrived. None of them
are under suspicion, Couture said.

"Nobody that was targeted or nobody that was looked into had deployed so
the problem was not transferred over to Afghanistan already."

Couture said the military takes a hard line when it comes to drug use.

'Zero Tolerance'

"It's clear, it's zero tolerance. We don't mess with drugs and all the
members know that. They know that when they join the Forces and they're
reminded during their career. There's no surprise there for them."

He said the military did not take the action just because the troops are
being deployed to Afghanistan, which is a major drug-producing region.

"It's a spot where drugs are available but we just can't afford to have
people undermined by illicit substances. They pose a threat to themselves
and one to their colleagues."

In Afghanistan, Maj. Jurden Rice, a social worker for the Canadian
contingent, said he has not had to deal with drug use.

"I've had nobody brought to me suspecting of use it (drugs), caught using
it," he said.

"There were no performance deficiencies that someone suspected was linked
to drug use."

He added that Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan are limited to two beers a day.

Back in Canada, the 19 soldiers who tested positive for drug use could face
reprimands or discharge from the Forces, the military said.

Couture said the military has to grapple with drugs like the rest of
society and noted that most soldiers in the unit heading to Afghanistan
aren't under suspicion.

And Capt. Mark Giles, a spokesman for the National Investigation Service in
Ottawa, pointed out the number of soldiers who tested positive in drug
tests does not necessarily reflect how many, if any, would be charged.

"Just because X number of people test positive on a drug test for example,
that doesn't correspond to the same number of charges under the National
Defence Act or otherwise."