MADD Canada

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MADD Canada is the Canadian arm of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The goal is to stop the distraction of driving and to support the victim. MADD Canada operates a public awareness and education program that focuses on disturbed driving. Local activities are conducted by chapters in about 100 communities across Canada.

The organization also supports a number of federal and provincial initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence of driver disruptions, including changes to the Criminal Code provisions on drunk driving, and zero alcohol limit for drivers under 21.

Every day in Canada there are about 4 deaths and about 190 injuries from accidents involving alcohol or drugs.

Statistics show that efforts made in the fight against driving disruptions have saved 30,589 Canadian lives since 1982. Although this number saved lives, Transport Canada reported a total of 39,487 alcohol-related deaths on Canadian roads since 1982. Had there been no attempt to reduce the driving deaths that disrupted, Canadian MADD estimates the number was probably 70,000 in alcohol-related deaths.

Video MADD Canada

Program

MADD Canada plays an important role in the anti-interference driving movement through programs and services aimed at raising awareness of driving disruptions and supporting victims of violent crime.

The Canadian MADD Victim Support Program helps support over 20,000 victims, trains more than 300 victim service volunteers, and provides death notification training to over 15,000 medical, police, fire and victim officers each year.

The organization's youth service program includes a popular multimedia assembly event serving Canadian high schools and is seen by approximately 750,000 students annually. Educational services also include Breaking Point, classroom educational tools, and youth sections on the Canadian MADD website.

MADD Canada runs several public awareness campaigns and annual fundraisers. The Strides for Change walk-a-thon helps the chapter to reach more victims and potential volunteers. The Faces of MADD Canada is a voluntary door-to-door program in 13 local communities. The Red Ribbon project is based on distributions of millions of red tapes to Canadian riders each year to signal the importance of not driving when disturbed. The 911 campaign urges the public to call 911 if they see drivers who they think may be disturbed. MADD Canada also has several public service announcements for television and radio broadcasting all over the country.

The Canadian MADD program is supported through corporate and public donations. Canadian MADD is responsible to its donors to ensure all the money received is used in an appropriate manner and audited financial statements are posted on its website at [1].

MADD Canada also generates funds by selling candy bars. Especially this breath mint can be found in many pubs (especially in the Toronto area).

Maps MADD Canada

Fundraising scandal

In December 2006, an article in the Toronto Star stated that about 19 cents of every dollar the organization raised up went to the service of the victim and the fight against drunk driving. MADD Canada states that about 84 cents of every dollar collected goes to support its program than the 19 cents claimed in the article. The question is whether the fundraising activity also educates the public about drunk driving and is therefore not a fundraising cost. A letter from the Canadian Revenue Agency, Directorate of Charity dated March 3, 2003, states that MADD makes incorrect expenditure allocations and fund-raising confusing with charity. The letter warned MADD that in order to maintain a charitable status, it should not count as a charity "amount paid for pure fund-raising costs such as door-to-door, direct mail and telemarketing charges.However, Canadian MADD Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie, states that the practice of calculating payments to a professional fundraiser as a charity work is one of "acceptable cost allocation principles" and that the regulator gives him permission to do so.

Following the investigation and by clarification from the Canadian Revenue Agency, MADD Canada changed its fund raising practices.