Ladies and Gentleman,

This is a very difficult letter for me to write and quite frankly I am a bit mystified as to why I am writing it at all.

My wife, Karen Mitchell FOUNDED Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Canada, the first successful grassroots anti drinking and driving organization in the country. Today, that organization is known as MADD Canada.

Jennifer April Mitchell, our nine year daughter was killed by a repeat drunk driver exactly nineteen years ago today. Jennifer was the last person in Canada to be killed by a drunk driver and left to be forgotten. We were simply not going to allow this to happen and do nothing. We made a vow over her dying body that we would do whatever it would take so no other parent would have to endure what we were enduring then and would go through in the next few years.

We were living in Calgary at the time, 1979. After Jennifer died, we talked to various officials in Calgary about what we could do and, with the exception of the police, most felt that drinking and driving was an ugly, but acceptable social practice. In 1979, Karen contacted every national magazine and every major newspaper in the country to try and get the story of Jennifer heard. (All national magazines told us that it was not a story of national interest and would not deal with us. Karen would make the Jennifer April Mitchell story a national interest story within three years.)

We went through a couple of years of intense grief and were broken emotionally and financially. One thing we did realize was that we were not going to be effective and Jennifer�s story would not get the attention it needed unless we move to central Canada, and that is exactly what we did. We had our own graphics arts studio at the time of Jennifer�s death so we understood the power of the media.

In May of 1982, Karen founded CAID Ontario, Citizens Against Drunk Driving. After extensive discussions with Margaret Taylor of Winnipeg, Karen felt they were to philosophically apart in how each wanted to fight the drinking and driving problem and Karen renamed her organization PRIDE, People to Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere.

Karen�s focus was on changing the attitude of the Canadian public through education of the public, counseling for victims and drunk drivers, and political action. Karen, soon after FOUNDING PRIDE, renamed the organization to PRIDE/MADD. She received permission from Candy Lightener�s MADD organization in the USA. PRIDE/MADD later became MADD Canada.

What do I mean by saying that Karen founded the first successful anti drinking and driving organization in Canada? As I mentioned earlier, the seeds were sown the day Jennifer died, May 28, 1979.

We loved Calgary but knew enough about the political and power structure of Canada to know that to be successful nationally, you pretty well had to be in Toronto where the most powerful media resides. If you could win Ontario, you would win the country.

When Karen talked with Margaret Taylor in November of 1981, Karen had already done months of research on the problems surrounding drinking and driving. It took her several more months to gather enough research to feel she could begin publishing pamphlets and making public statements. She had a very good idea in her mind about what she felt had to be done and over the next six months developed these ideas into an organization that was announced in May of 1982. Within the month, Karen broke with Margaret and went out on her own with PRIDE in June of 1982.

Karen aligned her organization with the RIDE program, headed by Sargent Don Colbourne of the Metro Toronto police, hoping to make it a model program for the rest of the country. She responded to hundreds of people who called in response to the CAID article in the Toronto Star (copy enclosed) story. She created and we ran the first victim support program out of our basement. She designed the first brochures, buttons, letterhead, press releases, and wrote the first mission statements; again, from our basement. Remember, she was a graphic artist. This time, the drunks killed the wrong child.

She met with and set up the first close working relationship between the Addiction Research Foundation and a grass roots drinking and driving group, (another reason for being in Toronto). After doing all this, she interviewed for and created the first effective board of directors for PRIDE. She invited Mr. John Bates among others to join the board at that time. This was the first time Mr. Bates was involved in the group.

Karen chose John Bates for three very important reasons. One, he knew the workings of the Ontario political arena and he was known to them. Two, he was able to make a major committment of time to the cause. Three, and most important, he was not a victim of drinking and driving. This third reason was very important. Victims are often seen as having a particular point of view that is great for media attention but sometimes will not be viewed as seriously as someone who is respected but is not a "victim". John was perfect for this role and he played it well. Karen made him the first vice-president of PRIDE.

Karen was the FOUNDER/PRESIDENT, John Bates was the VICE-PRESIDENT, I was the TREASURER, Karen put John Chovat in charge of public relations. Sgt. Don Colbourne and Dr. Evelyn Vingilis were special advisors. The board meetings were held in our kitchen in our rented bungalow on Rustic Road in Toronto. When it was pointed out to her by Dr. Vingilis that the board should have an odd number, she convinced Connie Bates to act as secretary. Our house and later our apartment were the headquarters for PRIDE/MADD for several years.

Karen and John met with every minister of the Ontario government that year.

It was Karen who, after repeatedly telling the story of Jennifer�s death in radio, TV, and print media, was able to convince the former Premier of Ontario, William Davis to form a task force to study impaired driving. As a result, former Ontario Attorney General Roy McMurtry formed the Ontario Drinking and Driving Countermeasures Office. Everyone was beginning to understand the power of mom!

Karen and I used to drive around late at night at Christmas time handing out fresh baked cookies and coffee to the RIDE police officers on duty. The baby (and later babies), would be asleep in the back of the little old car we had. This may seem silly now but it was important back at that time for both publicity and the moral of those police officers.

Karen sought and was granted permission from MADD USA to use the MADD name in Canada and she changed the name to PRIDE/MADD. I remember this very well because both John and I were dead against this change. We felt Canada should have it�s own identity. As usual Karen was determined and she was absolutely right; as you are well aware today.

For several years we would go to the probation office up in North York to counsel convicted drunk drivers and again tell the Jennifer April Mitchell story. It always had a devastating impact but it was getting harder and harder to do.

John Bates made a marvelous contribution to the fight against drinking and driving in Canada. There is no doubt that he played an important role in the early days of the movement. The assertion that he is the founder is simply not correct. I have no idea where this came from or why it has developed.

MADD Canada was founded by a Canadian MOM. It could not have been done successfully by anyone but a mom because the media wanted to hear a mom�s story. The organization PRIDE/MADD that later became MADD Canada was founded in honor and in the memory of our daughter Jennifer April Mitchell.

Living the Jennifer April Mitchell story day after day, year after year, takes it�s toll on a family so we eventually left our organization in 1986 to concentrate on our young family. There is no real date when we left, it was a gradual withdrawal. We were confident that the organization which at that time had over 40,000 members had a life of it�s own and with John Bates installed at the helm would continue to grow, which it did. Karen made John President in 1985 so she could spend more time caring for our adopted daughter who was very ill.

When we left, we felt Jennifer�s memory was safe and she would always be the "poster child" so to speak of the drinking and driving movement in Canada.

Apparently, this did not happen and we feel very strongly that this situation should be corrected. There is only one founder and that is Karen Mitchell. The Jennifer April Mitchell story should be known by every member of MADD Canada, not because of the tragedy but because of the triumph of the right over wrong. The founding of MADD in Canada is a wonderful story that must be told and never forgotten.

I urge you to tell the true story of the founding of one of the most successful grassroots organizations in Canada. It is an honorable organization with a fascinating beginning. Mom did it and mom and Jennifer should be honored not forgotten. It is one thing for a drunk to take our daughter�s life, it is quite another for someone to destroy the legacy that Jennifer and her mom have given to the people of Canada, and to bury her memory.

Please, I implore you to do what is right. Honor the true founder and her daughter for what they did for the people of Canada. There are thousands walking the street today who would not be alive if it were not for the tenacity, determination and sheer guts of Karen Elizabeth Mitchell.�

Most sincerely,

PS: Attached are copies of the original

• June 14th, 1982 Toronto Star story and the

• December Chatelaine story.

  Since Mr. Murie has informed me by phone that he has in his possession an early brochure that shows Karen Mitchell as Founder and John Bates as President I assumed you do not need copies of these. All of our early documents, brochures, letters, files, financial statements etc. were entrusted to John Bates. He should be able to supply you with these documents and/or direct you to there location. You will have to piece together the photo copies of the Star article. It is difficult to photo copy newspaper stories.