NO BACKING DOWN

Division To Forge Ahead With Athlete Drug Testing

A rural Manitoba school division deep in the province's Bible Belt refuses
to back down from its plan to test jocks for drugs just because of a little
controversy.

Garden Valley School Division Superintendent Dom Wilkins said yesterday the
Winkler-area school division will continue to push for the random tests
despite warnings from the province and privacy watchdogs that the policy
may infringe on human rights.

But Wilkins admitted red flags raised about the landmark policy from
provincial ombudsman Barry Tuckett have caught him off-guard.

"That's his jurisdiction to do that," Wilkins told The Sun. "I am
personally a little surprised by it, yes."

The one-year project would require student athletes at Garden Valley
Collegiate and their parents to sign forms consenting to informed random
drug tests throughout the year. It would be a requirement to participate on
the high school's athletic teams. Steroids would not be tested for.

The province, school division and privacy experts believe no other school
in the country has a similar policy for drug testing.

Wilkins yesterday stressed that though the program has been approved in
principle by trustees, it will not be implemented until final approval is
given by lawyers.

"The board is certainly concerned about that, and has been concerned from
the start," he said.

Tuckett, the province's privacy watchdog, earlier this week said he is
considering looking into the policy to see whether it violates Manitoba's
Personal Health Information Act or takes away a student's right to privacy.
Education Minister Ron Lemieux had similar privacy concerns.

David Loukidelis, B.C.'s information and privacy commissioner, slammed the
Garden Hill policy.