EvanL
02-05-2004, 04:12 PM
CFB VALCARTIER, Que. (CP) - Seventeen soldiers who tested positive for illicit drug use won't be bound for the war on terror in Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces said today.
"The reason why we didn't want to deploy them is for security reasons," said Capt. Mario Couture, a military spokesman.
"We can't afford to have people under the influence of illicit substances while they're conducting patrols."
A Canadian soldier was recently killed in a suicide bomb attack.
A total of 19 soldiers in a unit headed to Afghanistan have tested positive.
The other two were not scheduled to go to the strife-torn area, Couture said.
Twenty-nine soldiers were tested for drugs.
The tests followed searches of the base, near Quebec City, by military police and drug-detecting dogs earlier this week after they received a tip.
The military couldn't immediately say which drugs had been detected and were awaiting results on 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 at Valcartier, said the National Investigation Service, the investigative arm of the military police.
The 3rd Battalion, which comprises 600 soldiers, will be shipping soldiers to Afghanistan until mid-month and some have already arrived. None of those is 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.
"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, known as one of the world's major drug producing regions.
"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."
The 19 could face reprimands or discharge from the forces, the military said in a statement.
"The chain of command is now taking appropriate preventative measures to ensure the safety of troops deployed in Afghanistan," said Lt-Col. Bernard Ouellette, acting commander of 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
Couture said the military has to grapple with drugs like the rest of society and noted that most in the unit aren't under suspicion.
"Out of that 600, only 30 personnel were targeted and out of that 19 showed positive. If we put that in context, it's not that huge. It's still too much for my taste and the one of the (forces).
Capt. Mark Giles, a spokesman for the National Investigation Service in Ottawa, pointed out the number of soldiers who tested positive in drug tests do 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," Giles said.
He said investigators would be concentrating on such angles as whether a soldier possessed or sold drugs.
Giles also could not confirm reports the search earlier this week was sparked by a tip from the RCMP.
"The reason why we didn't want to deploy them is for security reasons," said Capt. Mario Couture, a military spokesman.
"We can't afford to have people under the influence of illicit substances while they're conducting patrols."
A Canadian soldier was recently killed in a suicide bomb attack.
A total of 19 soldiers in a unit headed to Afghanistan have tested positive.
The other two were not scheduled to go to the strife-torn area, Couture said.
Twenty-nine soldiers were tested for drugs.
The tests followed searches of the base, near Quebec City, by military police and drug-detecting dogs earlier this week after they received a tip.
The military couldn't immediately say which drugs had been detected and were awaiting results on 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 at Valcartier, said the National Investigation Service, the investigative arm of the military police.
The 3rd Battalion, which comprises 600 soldiers, will be shipping soldiers to Afghanistan until mid-month and some have already arrived. None of those is 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.
"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, known as one of the world's major drug producing regions.
"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."
The 19 could face reprimands or discharge from the forces, the military said in a statement.
"The chain of command is now taking appropriate preventative measures to ensure the safety of troops deployed in Afghanistan," said Lt-Col. Bernard Ouellette, acting commander of 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
Couture said the military has to grapple with drugs like the rest of society and noted that most in the unit aren't under suspicion.
"Out of that 600, only 30 personnel were targeted and out of that 19 showed positive. If we put that in context, it's not that huge. It's still too much for my taste and the one of the (forces).
Capt. Mark Giles, a spokesman for the National Investigation Service in Ottawa, pointed out the number of soldiers who tested positive in drug tests do 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," Giles said.
He said investigators would be concentrating on such angles as whether a soldier possessed or sold drugs.
Giles also could not confirm reports the search earlier this week was sparked by a tip from the RCMP.