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Hi Friends,

The Mike Harris government has stepped up it's attack on the poor with the
announcement of mandatory drug testing and treatment.  The Ontario Social
Services Minister John Baird is walking around with a pocketful of needles
selling his latest plan.

Here is the link to his announcement:

http://www.gov.on.ca/CSS/page/news/nov1400.html

And here is what he had to say in the Ontario parliament:

"Some would say that we should simply do nothing, that we should sit
back year after year and watch people use their welfare cheque to feed
their drug habit instead of feeding their children."

I can not begin to describe my outrage at the statement above, I can not
begin to describe the damage this is doing to the children of women who turn
to welfare as a last resort.  Are these children wondering where their moms
keep the needles are they wondering if the little bit of money their moms
have will soon be gone?

To send a message to Mike Harris that people will not tolerate this
portrayal of the poor, the Ontario Liberals have introduced a private
members bill and also started an on-line petition.

http://www.ontarioliberal.com/2000/News/Releases/pee-mail.htm

Queen's Park, December 1/2000- We all know about e-mail, but now Liberal
Leader Dalton McGuinty is urging everyone to send Mike Harris a "pee-mail"
to protest his plan to force welfare recipients to give a urine sample.

People who disagree with Harris's plan to drug-test welfare recipients
can register their objection on the Internet.

To 'vote':

http://www.ontarioliberal.com/Goose/join2.htm

I urge you to show your outrage at the portrayal of the most vulnerable!

Sherrie Tingley