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asteg- rtcassaaggssgr ihffgjaaga ifefrgvrrfg i c x provincial government tstrytng to hefapebplewith wf pf ikv o js- o rv jj i v i- jurisdictions m canada and abroad group in our society thatrcant fight z dfugffidblems get mflivjetimpppis by usa queen jtaff writer he said testing wiu setdphe v bade- randomly onvwelfare recipients they haveno morechance of fnstead- welfare case workers swhb having a drug problem than any other w ikewqrkfarednig testing of welfare rrecipientsjs another exampleof the lrs 1101 a matter of shiqlllig these t people turn their lives around oak ridges mpp frank mees says butvdont tell that to critics t who c complain the system to beintroduced next year is further proof the tories beat up the poor the purposeof that program the goal is to remove barriers to employment and to help these people who are addicted deal with addiction and- get backinfot mainstream spcietyklees said yesterday r its not a matter of singling these people out arid punishing- them its to identify people withproblemsarid helpthem with drug addiction programs to get them the appropriate level of treatment its difficult to pinpoint exactly how the program will work or how much it will cost klees said because the government is still consulting with people with addictions counsellors who treat them taxpayers who pay for social service benefits legal experts people out and punishing them if s to identify people withx problems and help them with drug addiction programs to get them the appropriate level of treatment frank klees mppoak ridges fill out the ballot below you could win 2 tickets to the nutcracker performance at markham theatre for the december 28 show alljballots must be received by dec 27 noon at the markham v economist sun office 9 heritageroador faxtp 9052941538 drawtobe held dec27noon tickets be picked up by dec28jioon winner will v be contacted-by- r telephone yrs sponsored by t- j vhr i f tyt it rtmy v v namel l i address j v- markham cultraj venues employees families are not eligible to enter person suspect clients df having la drug problem will notifythe government so testing can be carried out j- klees sttessed me province wont turn its back oh drug addicts caught by the testing a theywill belplacedin treatment programs and vnllcbntinue tocollect benefits i v were hot going togive up on anybody klees said r but those who refuse the mandatory v testingbr turn down opportunities for jtreatmeht will see their welfare cheques cutoff v v c jtheir dependents such- as children and spouses will continue to receivetheir portion of benefits s- klees saidfthe government hasan bbligationvtp help drug addicts bn welfare begin new lives through testing and followup treatment prograrhs he compared the tories to employers who have aresponsibility to t ensure their workers are drug free the whole purpose of this program is to help peoplethe whole purpose is the make them become productive citizens klees said we know- it addiction is complicated we know there are no simple solutions we also know its going to cost the government some money to help these people but we knbwits worth the investment but the tories face stiff resistance to the drug testing plan from opposition parties and people who work with the poor on a dailybasis liberal- social- services critic michael gravelle transitional and supportive housing services of york region executive- director monica auerbach and jane nielsen family services director with newmarkets salvation armyall condemn forcings welfare recipients to participate in drug testing pointing out one of the first steps the tories took after winning office in 1995 was to cut welfare paymentsby v 2 16 per cent gravelle said numerous studies have indicated that people receivirig social service benefits are no more likely tobe taking drugs than any qther segment of society to make a point- gravelles boss iieral leader dalton mcguinty earlier mis month introduced a hill called the whats good for thegoose isgood for the gander act mcguinty suggested mpps who are paid through the public purse should also submit to drug testings while mcguinty made his statement tongue in cheek gravelle said the stunt brought attention to premier mike harris spiteful treatment of the poor v the drug testing is extraordinarily offensive gravelle said x segment in our society including mppsv i think people are generally horrified by this governments treatment of the poor klees disagrees while he maintained fiewbuld have no objection to submitting to a drug test hesaidmcguintys legislation indicates the liberals are more ihtefesfed in headlinegrabbihg stunts than helping the poor tiirh their lives v around- j 0 but auerbach and nielsenjsaid the tories are doing riothingto help the poor y- aierbach argued j- cutting a breadwinner off welfare jfor one positlvedrug test will create greater child poverty r j v i dont think itsabbit helping people at all its about penalizing people she said j w i- think its one more thing of beating up qri the poor and victimizing people who arealready down meanwhile nielsen said f positive drug test for something like marijuanadoesnt necessarily- mean someone is a hardcore junkie to cut them off benefits for refusing treatment is unjust even murderers get second chances in life she said harris i dont know what his problem is where poor people are concernedshesaid v v i dont think drug testing will ever fly i thinkits absolute insanity tojtest the poor but if the government decides to do that they better putjiri programs to address their addictions vs what do you think its a controversial subject and wed like to know whatyoii think about drug testing for welfare recipients does frank klees argument that the province is helping people with problems get their lives back on track by identifying them and getting them appropriate- support make sense to you l j is thisprbgram of drug testing simply an attack on the poor victimizing thbsepebple whqare least able todeferid therhselv- j visit our website at yrngcbrhand join in our discussion foruhv about living on welfare a v qryouiiari email ypurtoougrits to newsroomeconsuncomvjrv for inclusion in bur letterstb tiie editor our faxline isi90529l1538 or- ybii can mautyourmetteftbithe tribune 9heritage rd s markham ont l3p 1m3 v-v- jc i v- i