Latest news with #TanyaHansenPratt
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.
Hamilton Spectator
30-04-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
MADD Canada's Cpl. Cumming's Watch Awards Honour Alberta Police Officers for their Efforts to Stop Impaired Driving
EDMONTON, Alberta, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MADD Canada will honour Alberta police officers who have played a vital role in removing impaired drivers from the province's roads. During the Cpl. Cumming's Watch ceremony taking place today at Royal Hotel West in Edmonton, police officers will be recognized and presented with awards for their outstanding efforts to keep Alberta's communities safe. Established in 2015, the Cpl. Cumming's Watch is a collaborative initiative between MADD Canada, Alberta RCMP, and Alberta Transportation, Office of Traffic Safety in honour of Cpl. Graeme Cumming, a member of the RCMP who was killed on duty by an impaired driver on Highway 3 near Lethbridge, Alberta on August 12, 1998. The award program recognizes Alberta police officers for their efforts to prevent the deaths and injuries caused by impaired drivers. 'We are proud to honour these police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect us from the dangers of impaired driving,' said MADD Canada National President Tanya Hansen Pratt, whose mother, Beryl, was killed by an impaired driver in 1999. 'Their efforts not only help save lives, but they also send a clear message that impaired driving will not be tolerated. We are proud to stand with them in this important fight.' Nominations for Cpl. Cumming's Watch are open to every police agency in Alberta. This year, 68 police officers are being honoured for their efforts in impaired driving enforcement. Of these, 41 officers who charged between 15 and 24 impaired drivers in 2024 will receive a certificate of recognition and a Silver Challenge Coin. Additionally, 21 officers who have charged 25 or more impaired drivers will receive a certificate of recognition and a Gold Challenge Coin. About MADD Canada MADD 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: Tanya Hansen Pratt, MADD Canada National President, 705-623-3148 or thansenpratt@ Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233 ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@
