On Sunday, August 16, 2020, McLeish Orlando was proud to attend a rally at Queen's Park in Toronto. We volunteered as marshals, handed out water to all attendees, and made signs to help support the message. Over 100 people, in masks, protested through the rain, calling for changes to both provincial and federal laws.
On June 18, 2020, in Brampton, Brady Robertson, a repeat offender and driving with a suspended license, recklessly drove through the intersection of Torbram Road and Countryside Drive. Robertson drove against a red light, and violently t-boned a vehicle at over 100 km per hour, killing 37-year-old Karolina Ciasullo and her three daughters; Klara (6 years old), Lilianna (3 years old) and Mila (1-year-old).
Following their tragic deaths, Jillian McLeod, a Brampton resident created an online petition calling for tougher laws and harsher penalties, in support of the Ciasullo, Lugiewicz, and Martin families. Currently, the petition has over 83,000 signatures. McLeod was astonished by the amount of support the petition got, along with all of the private messages, tweets, and comments from the community and beyond, sharing stories of how their lives had been impacted by impaired or dangerous drivers and family members who had been killed or seriously injured. This support is what sparked the idea for the rally.
McLeod knows that more needs to be done and is continuing to work to change to our justice system. Follow the Facebook Page she created for more information about how you can get involved.
The online petition can be found here. If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign it.
Too many Ontario families have had loved ones killed or seriously injured by impaired or dangerous drivers. Impaired and dangerous driving remains the leading cause of road fatalities across Canada. It is time that the laws are changed to protect our communities from these reckless drivers. Currently, Ontario law imposes very little punishment to individuals who have either killed or seriously injured someone, which leaves the victim's families devastated and feeling that no justice has been served.
We encourage everyone to e-mail their local MMP demanding change. You can find your riding's MPP here. Download a sample letter to your MPP here.
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