Latest news with #MADDCanada
Global News
15 hours ago
- Global News
Mounties, experts urge Manitobans to be safe this Canada Day weekend
If you're taking Monday off to give yourself a Canada Day long weekend, you're not alone. Mounties are expecting it to be a busy weekend on the roads as people enjoy the expected sunny weather. Sgt. Paul Manaigre says officers will be watching highways all over the province, but especially in the weekend hotspots. 'Your busy highways, like 51, Highway 1, 75,' says Manaigre. 'It's cottage country, wherever there's lakes and people are going camping, going to their cottage.' Long weekends come with an increase in impaired driving, according to MADD Canada. The organization's CEO, Steve Sullivan, is asking vacationers to be extra careful and make a plan to get home in advance, if partaking in alcoholic beverages, to avoid a tragedy. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'For most of the people we work with, it just feels so meaningless that someone made a decision, where they could have easily made a different decision,' says Sullivan. 'So much would have been changed if somebody had just done the right thing.' Story continues below advertisement And it's not just on the roads. Eric Labaupa, ambassador for the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba, says boating under the influence can be just as dangerous as driving. 'Boating impaired causes a lot of mishaps on the water. So, I would suggest that if you were the operator, to not indulge,' says Labaupa. 'Maybe when you get back to the dock or get home or to the cabin, then party away.' Data from the Lifesaving Society also shows 20 per cent of drowning deaths occur in July. Incidents also tend to spike on long weekends. It's better to be safe than sorry, Labaupa warns. 'So many accidents happen where a life jacket is in reach. It could be in the boat, but it's no good to you if you aren't wearing it.' He also recommends having a first-aid kit, flares and a phone and charger to call for help in an emergency.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Media Advisory: MADD Canada's Team Nick Coates Awards Recognize Newfoundland and Labrador Police Officers for Keeping Roads Safe
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Police officers in Newfoundland and Labrador will be recognized at the 2025 MADD Canada's Team Nick Coates Awards ceremony for going above and beyond to remove impaired drivers from the province's roads, waterways and trails. This year, 16 police officers will be presented with the awards. Officers who have taken at least 12 impaired drivers off the roads in 2024 will receive the Gold Award, while those who have removed at least eight will receive the Silver Award. The Top Performer for the RCMP and RNC will also be honoured during the ceremony. Officers will also receive special commemorative challenge coins. Media are invited to attend the awards ceremony. Interviews with guests and award recipients will be available upon request. Date & Time: Friday, June 13, 2025 at 11 a.m. Location: RCMP Headquarters (Atrium), 100 E White Hills Rd., St. John's, NL Speakers: Asst. Commissioner Pat Cahill, Commanding Officer of RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador Deputy Chief Colin McNeil, RNC Patricia Hynes-Coates, Nick's stepmother, and Terry Coates, Nick's father Established in 2019, the award is named in honour of Nick Coates and pays tribute to him and to all victims of impaired driving. Nick was killed by an impaired driver in St. John's in August 2013. He was riding his motorcycle back from a work meeting when he was hit by a pickup truck. Nick died in hospital later that day. He was just 27 years old. Since his death, Nick's family has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving. Nick's stepmother, Patricia Hynes-Coates, is a former National President of MADD Canada. MADD Canada thanks Patricia Hynes-Coates, Nick's father Terry Coates, the RCMP and the RNC for their ongoing support of the Awards program and annual presentation ceremony. For more information or to RSVP for the event, contact: Shayla Morag Steeves, MADD Canada Atlantic Regional Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 232 or ssteeves@ Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233, ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
MADD Canada Honours Victims at Saskatchewan Provincial Monument Ceremony
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, June 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victims killed in crashes involving alcohol, cannabis and/or other drugs will be honoured today during a ceremony hosted by MADD Canada at the Saskatchewan Provincial Monument in Saskatoon. Families and friends of victims will be joined by community members and special guests for the remembrance ceremony. The Monument, located on the grounds of Saskatoon City Hall, is etched with the names of 69 victims, including two new names added this year. 'Every life represented here mattered deeply — to their families, to their friends, and to the communities that grieve their loss,' said Tanya Hansen Pratt, National President of MADD Canada. 'Today's ceremony reminds us of the lives behind the impaired driving statistics and the importance of preventing this heartbreak for others.' Special guests will be attending the ceremony today, including The Honourable Tracy Muggli, Senator for Saskatchewan; The Honourable Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Advanced Education; Ward 10 City Councillor, Zach Jeffries; Deputy Chief Saskatoon Police Service, Darren Pringle; Saskatoon Fire Deputy Chief, Yvonne Raymer; and Superintendent Grant St. Germaine, RCMP Traffic Services. Following the lighting of candles in honour of each victim, families and friends will attend the unveiling of the new names that have been etched on the Monument. MADD Canada thanks the City of Saskatoon for supporting the creation of the Saskatchewan Provincial Monument and the annual ceremonies. Since 2009, MADD Canada has established Memorial Monuments for victims of impaired driving in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. Ceremonies are held each year to unveil new names added to the Monuments and to pay tribute to all victims. We are currently working to establish Memorial Monuments in Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. About MADD CanadaMADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in close to 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. For more information, visit For more information, contact:Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233 ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Global News
21-05-2025
- Global News
‘Lifetime of devastation': MADD on Toronto crash that killed 3 from alleged impaired driver
MADD Canada is speaking out after a devastating crash in Ontario killed three children and left others fighting for their lives, in a collision police allege involved a 19-year-old impaired driver. The tragedy, which happened on Friday, May 18 in Etobicoke, has renewed urgent calls for stronger impaired driving prevention and enforcement in Canada. 'This is a situation where so much of a family is just torn apart,' said Tanya Hansen Pratt, national president of MADD Canada. 'Our hearts go out to the family and to their friends. We are very frustrated and heartbroken for them.' The collision involved six people in the struck vehicle including a mother, her four children, and her partner. Two of the children, ages 13 and 15, were pronounced dead at the scene, while their six-year-old sibling died later in hospital. The 10-year-old child and their mother remain in hospital. Story continues below advertisement A GoFundMe campaign launched to support the survivors and help cover funeral and medical costs has already raised almost $150,000, as people share their condolences from all over the nation. 'They just don't think it will happen to them' In response to the crash, Hansen Pratt emphasized the ongoing issue of impaired driving. She says part of the problem is that a segment of the population still views the risk as 'minimal', especially among young men, who remain a high-risk demographic. 'In this case, of course, he falls directly into that demographic when we have a 19-year-old, impaired driver who has taken three lives and injured three more people and just completely devastated an entire family and community,' she said. The emotional toll of impaired driving has been felt by countless families across Canada. Story continues below advertisement One of the most high-profile cases in recent years was that of Jennifer Neville-Lake. 0:49 Woman whose 3 children were killed by drunk driver in 2015 has house burn down Neville-Lake was a loving mother to her three young children, but a crash on Sept. 27, 2015, robbed her of the chance to watch them grow up. Daniel, 9, Harrison, 5, and Milly, 2, were all killed in an impaired driving collision in Vaughan, Ont. Their grandfather, Gary Neville, was also killed. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Speaking with Global News at the time, Neville-Lake said the loss shattered her sense of identity. Despite decades of public education and strict laws, impaired driving continues to kill and injure people. Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a physician at Sunnybrook Hospital and professor at the University of Toronto, says that despite the known risks, many drivers still underestimate the dangers because they've gotten away with it before. Story continues below advertisement 'What many people don't realize is that the average person who drinks and drives needs to go over 1,000 miles before the laws of statistics catch up with them,' he told Global News. 'This is why personal experience is so beguiling because, for many individuals, it's not the first time they've gotten behind the wheel with some alcohol in their system. But every one of their past trips has ended uneventfully. So, it creates this false sense of security, that somehow, I'm a special driver and immune to the impairing effects.' About one-third of serious motor vehicle crashes have alcohol involvement, according to Dr. Redelmeier. 'Both the minor crashes as well as the ones that are life-threatening,' he added. 'We could do more' Some experts and advocacy groups say more could be done in Canada when it comes to enforcement measures aimed at preventing impaired driving. Story continues below advertisement 'In Australia, the average driver is breath-tested once a year,' said. 'In Ontario, people tested maybe once every five years. That's not enough.' Hansen Pratt agrees. 'People don't change their behaviour based on the sentence, they change it if they believe they'll get caught,' she said. 'That's why mandatory alcohol screening has helped. The fear of being stopped is a real deterrent.' MADD is also urging Canadian lawmakers to follow the lead of the United States, which has passed legislation requiring all new vehicles to be equipped with in-car impaired driving prevention technology in the coming years. 'A lifetime of devastation' The Etobicoke crash follows another collision in Nova Scotia just over a week earlier, where police believe a driver was impaired and travelling in the wrong direction on the highway. Five people died in that incident. Story continues below advertisement 1:40 Crash that killed 5 in Nova Scotia involved car going wrong direction on highway 'These tragedies don't happen by accident, they happen because of choices,' said Hansen Pratt. 'When someone gets behind the wheel impaired, they could destroy a family, a community. They could cause a lifetime of devastation.' And for those who still think it's safe to drive after drinking or using drugs, Hansen Pratt says the easiest way to avoid these tragedies is to plan ahead. 'It's not worth it. There is always another way to get home. Call a cab, use a rideshare, stay over.' 'And if you see someone you believe is impaired on the road, call 911. You might save a life,' she added.
CBC
20-05-2025
- CBC
‘It's difficult to hear these stories': MADD Canada CEO on impaired driving crash that killed 3 children
A 19-year-old man is facing multiple counts of impaired driving after three children were killed in a crash on Sunday. Steve Sullivan, CEO of MADD Canada, sits down with CBC's Metro Morning to discuss the ongoing issue of drunk driving and why young men are more susceptible to driving impaired.
