National Defence quietly examined the idea of designating more positions within the military as "safety sensitive" in order to catch and punish soldiers for illegal drug use.
Internal documents show the Canadian Army was particularly concerned. Over four-year period, commanders in charge of troops in Canada's central and western regions lobbied separately to draw up expanded lists of jobs that would be subject to the enhanced screening.
A spokeswoman for National Defence said the drug-screening program has not been expanded but is subject to continuing review.
Concern about possible drug use among troops over the last few years extended to the top, where the chief of defence staff, now-retired general Walt Natynczyk, "stated that he is receptive to requests to designate other positions or occupations as safety sensitive," said a Nov. 14, 2011, briefing note, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
The Forces considered expanding the number of jobs subject to enhanced drug screening in 2007, but was halted because it couldn't justify the invasion of privacy.
The military administers blind drug testing on a regular basis, but the system results in no disciplinary action if the results come back positive. More enhanced screening is given to troops who are in variety of secure positions, and those who deploy overseas.
But according to the briefing note, prepared for the commander of the army, the blind test "does not have the same deterrent effect."
A proposal from land forces central area, which apparently surfaced in May 2011, said a series of blind tests administered to troops not deployed to Afghanistan showed a "a somewhat higher incidence of illicit drug use" and those higher results "were not seen as acceptable" by commanders.
Michel Drapeau, a retired colonel and a leading commentator on access to information, said the military would be within its rights to impose a higher standard test over a wider swath of its ranks "because public interest would come first."
