Oakville, Ontario – In letters to the national party leaders, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada has made a plea for impaired driving to be a priority in the next Parliament. The group called for Parliamentarians to complete a Justice Committee review, and to lead a national dialogue with provincial governments and stakeholders on effectively reducing impaired driving deaths and injuries.

“The federal government needs to focus their efforts on the number-one criminal cause of death in our country,” said Margaret Miller, MADD Canada national president. “The crime needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner to significantly reduce the incidents of impaired driving. Last Parliament saw many important steps taken in addressing problems experienced by our police and in the courts. But there is a great deal that can still be done. MADD Canada is calling on all federally-elected representatives to make fighting impaired driving a priority of the next Parliament.”

The letters call for two specific demands: to complete a comprehensive review of Canada’s impaired driving laws to determine the most effective counter-measures to drive down deaths and injuries, and to provide the framework for a national dialogue and lead a forum with provincial governments and national stakeholders on the most effective means to achieve lower incident rates of impaired driving deaths and injuries.

“We would like to see the next federal government actively pursue a comprehensive and focused approach to finding the best way to reduce the deaths and carnage on Canadian roads,” Miller said.