'Never drive impaired': MADD launches national campaign in honour of Alberta victim
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is honouring a Red Deer, Alta., family as part of its 34th annual national red ribbon campaign.
Brenda Brown's daughter Chloe Kaniusis was killed by a drunk driver in 2014 when the two were returning home from a Christmas shopping trip in Red Deer.
Brown was pinned inside the vehicle for three hours following the crash.
Kaniusis, who was a mother of two, was killed instantly.
She was 30 years old.
"I wasn't able to go back to work for 27 months after she died," Brown told CTV News Edmonton at the red ribbon campaign launch on Monday. "But I knew I wanted to bring a message of change to high school students."
Brown, a high school librarian, said she joined the MADD organization in 2017 as a way to bring a message of change around the issue of impaired driving.
"We just have to keep educating people," she said. "(MADD has) so much to offer those who have been affected, whether they're victims, survivors; support through victims services, numerous and limitless resources."
Officials with MADD said the campaign is meant to be a reminder to drive sober this holiday season and all year round.
"We just try always to share victims' stories like the one that Brenda shared today, to keep impaired driving at top of mind to remind motorists that it is still a real risk," national president of MADD Canada Jaymie-Lyne Hancock told CTV News Edmonton.
According to a MADD Canada statistical report, 86,964 impaired driving-related incidents were reported in Canada in 2019, an average of 238 per day.
Late last year, the Alberta government passed legislation to create stronger and more immediate penalties for drivers under the influence.
- Stricter drunk driving laws will get impaired drivers off the streets immediately
- New impaired driving legislation tabled in Alberta
"The main message is really simple," Hancock said. "Never drive impaired, never get in the car with anyone who's impaired. Plan ahead for a sober ride home."
Over the next two months, MADD will be handing out thousands of red ribbons as a symbol of commitment to never drive impaired.
Brown said, while she considers herself an optimist, she doesn't believe the work MADD does will ever be finished.
"It is such a problem still," said Brown. "And Alberta is one of the worst provinces, so you know, we’ve got to do something more.”
The national campaign runs until Jan. 3.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.