Rights watchdog calls for halt to DNA testing

Canada's civil liberties watchdog is calling on investigators in the Sonia Varaschin murder investigation to "immediately stop" voluntary DNA sampling.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is calling the practice "coercive."

Police said on Tuesday they are requesting individuals over the age of 18 to volunteer for DNA swabs that could be used in the high profile case.

Police claim they have DNA they believe could be linked to the killer.

"This practice, which does not involve prior authorization by a court, is highly coercive," the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said in a release Wednesday.

"Suggesting that such individuals can choose to provide DNA samples on a 'voluntary' basis is misleading, and ignores the coercive nature of police requests."

The group argued that DNA samples contain a wide range of information about a person's biological make-up and therefore, people should not hand those samples over to authorities without a court order.

Investigators, including the Orangeville Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police, are expected to compile a list in the next few days, but the process is expected to continue for...