A local mother is in Ottawa calling on the federal government to introduce tougher punishment for drunk drivers.
Sheri Arsenault's 18-year-old son, Bradley, and his two friends died in 2011; they were killed by an impaired driver.
This week, Arsenault joins other families who have lost loved ones to push the Senate to include a five-year mandatory minimum sentence in Bill C-46, which has gone to third reading. The current proposed legislation includes a fine up to $1,000 and no mandatory minimum.
“That’s a slap in the face to all victims,” she said. “A $1,000 fine sends a message that impaired driving causing death is less important than poaching wildlife animals, which is an administrative offence and is a fine of not less than $7,500.”
Over the last six years, she’s been lobbying MPs to strengthen penalties.
“We have witnessed the unbelievable consistency and extremely lenient sentences given to drunk drivers that kill,” she said.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada, an average of four people are killed every day in crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs.
A Senate committee is now studying Bill C-46.
