Project Red Ribbon hits home for Red Deer

The launch event held Nov. 1 outside RCMP Red Deer’s North Detachment had Kaniusis’ parents, husband Larry, sons Jaxon and Kessler, and other family members in attendance. Mayor Ken Johnston was also present with MADD Canada’s Chief Operating Officer Dawn Regan, and National President Jaymie-Lynn Hancock, among other city officials.

The red ribbons signify a wearer’s commitment to driving sober and a reminder that the deaths and injuries from impaired driving are preventable. They were distributed at the event along with bookmarks and car decals. RCMP later held sober check stops in the parking lot of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

This is Brown’s first year launching the campaign after becoming MADD Red Deer & District’s vice-president.

She had been asked before if she would take on Victim Services training. “I wasn’t ready, to be honest,” said Brown. “I have severe PTSD because I was in the crash with Chloe for over three hours.”

Kaniusis was killed on impact.

In remembrance of her daughter who was an elementary school teacher in Rocky Mountain House, Brown spent the past few years speaking to over 3,000 high school students about the risks of impaired driving.

“Many of her students were graduating that year when I went back and so that made it even more relevant for me,” she said. “My goal was to put them inside the vehicle with me and Chloe and let them know what it was like, how bad it was.”

After retiring last year, Brown decided to work with MADD Red Deer & District, qualifying for vice-president and Victim Services on the Board of Directors.

“A lady from Red Deer MADD reached out to me five weeks after Chloe died. She was amazing, so compassionate and kind. She had lost her son years before. We were blessed; the resources that she told us about, the victims support that we were told about through MADD. We went to a national victim’s survivor memorial in Toronto for three days and it was all paid for,” she recounted. “They are so valuable and I just wish a lot more people know they can reach out to MADD.”

In MADD Canada’s latest report, an average of 10 impaired driving criminal charges and short-term provincial license suspensions were laid every hour in Canada in 2019, increasing for the first time since 2011.

New legislation in December 2020 in Alberta hardened penalties for impaired driving, increasing fines for first-time offenders up to $2,000 and a 30-day vehicle seizure on the spot. Red Deer RCMP Traffic Services Sgt. Michael Zufferli said at Monday’s event, that the new laws helped keep officers out of the courts and on the road to detect more impaired drivers.

The pandemic, however, may have posed new challenges to this progress. While the closure of bars and restaurants predicted a decrease in impaired driving, the opposite arose.

“During the pandemic, the heart of it was going to people’s houses, consuming and then driving home because they weren’t able to go to a bar or restaurant,” MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie told rdnewsNOW.

In Alberta, RCMP stated there were 54 fatal collisions involving drugs and alcohol this year by September 2021, compared to 34 for 2020 in its entirety.

“Hopefully if the pandemic is no longer there, consumption levels will fall. There’s never an excuse for impaired driving,” he said.

While the organization has been hindered in its ability to hold awareness events, they have been able to expand their reach virtually to schools in the Northern territories for the first time.

For Red Deer, the annual in-person candlelight vigil has also been postponed for the second time. However, Brown wants to keep the memories of loved ones alive this year by having a Facebook live virtual vigil on November 20. She is encouraging the public to send her a picture and message of the person they have lost in celebration of their life.

The Project Red Ribbon campaign runs from Nov.1 to the first Monday of the New Year to remind everyone to drive sober during the holiday season.

“My position is to say, do not get behind the wheel if you are impaired by drugs or alcohol or prescription drugs,” said Brown.

All donations from the $10 ribbons go towards MADD’s education initiatives, public awareness, public policy, and victim services and youth programs

by Alessia Proietti

Project Red Ribbon hits home for Red Deer

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