MADD’s righteousness is hard to swallow

Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s description of the city councillors who stood with Councillor Ana Bailao as she faced the media over her impaired driving charge as “deplorable” is enough to make me reach for a drink.

By now, those who pay attention to local politics know that Bailao was busted for impaired driving Monday night and told media at city hall Tuesday that she intends to plead not guilty.

The breathalyzer test produced a blood alcohol reading high enough to warrant the charge, and is literally never wrong, so it is safe to say Bailao is a long shot to beat the rap, whatever she pleads.

If she is found guilty, she’ll get the same punishment as anyone else, and rightly so.

When Bailao faced the city hall press gallery, a handful of councillors stood with her to show their support at a time of personal crisis, including Doug Ford and Frances Nunziata from the right and Pam McConnell and Mike Layton from the left.

It’s a shame that it takes a criminal charge against one of their own to bring council’s left and right together, but that’s a topic for another day.

“To be blunt, I think it’s deplorable,” said Andrew Murie, the CEO of MADD, of the councillors who publicly support Bailao in her appearance before the media.

He went on to say the councillors were sending a message to the public “that it’s okay to drink and drive in Toronto and it’s a mistake if you get caught.”

What flaming hyperbole.

Who knows if Bailao has a serious drinking problem, or if the offence is a one-off. Not me.

Either way, she surely needed all the support she could get, in a very public appearance that was quite likely one of the hardest things she’s ever done.

To say that anyone who publicly supported her condones impaired driving is as much as saying she deserves no help.

Anyone who knows anything about beating an addiction knows the support of friends and family is crucial.

And if you’ve ever had a friend in a jam – even one entirely of their own making – it is instinctual to support them.

Murie was right when he said it would have better if she’d fessed up and said she was prepared to plead guilty. That would have been the courageous thing to do.

But even if she had, would the councillors who supported her be any less deplorable?

That’s where he loses me.

 

 

      

Comments

[Sandra Henderson]

"Rightousness", where does this come from. Madd works very hard to make our roads safe and to support victims of this violent crime. Yes, my family are victims and we did receive support from our local Madd Chapter. Not sure what we would have done without them. In Mr. Murie's I can hear and see the frustration in his voice. It is like banging your head against the wall to get people to take Drinking & Driving seriously. Mr. Lakey have you ever been affected by some yahoo out there driving drunk. Well I and many, many others have, we lost our daughter to someone who made a bad choice. Why would this lady even get into her car, she most have known that there might be consequences, that she could possibly injure or even kill some innocent person. Especially in her position you would think she would be extra careful. It was very hard to hear her say I am pleading not guilty and watch her boo hooing. Give me a break. Own up to it and get on with life. I agree l00% with Mr. Murie's comments and leave Madd alone, they are trying to do their job. RIP Nancy, we love you.

[Val Dodge]

I'm fine if councillors want to support their colleague, but their excusing a DUI as the result of a "bad night" or saying that "we all make mistakes" is straight out of the '70s. Support your friend, sure. But condemn the act, don't make excuses for it. Instead of saying "she had a bad night," say, "DUI is unacceptable under any circumstances, but especially in a city like Toronto with all-night transit service and taxis on every corner. I support my friend in this difficult time, but I don't excuse her conduct."

[Canadianskeezix]

Mr. Lakey, I think you have completely missed the point.

I can't imagine anyone, MADD included, has an issue with Ms. Bailao's fellow councillors offering support to their colleague. What MADD took issue with were some of the outrageous comments made by Ms. Bailao's fellow councillors which seemed to be excuses for impaired driving: she works hard, she's a good councillor, she's very sorry, we all make mistakes, etc.

There is a huge difference between offering support and offering excuses. What happened this week fell in the latter category.

[LMBF_2011]

Everybody has bad nights/days but they all don't get in a vehicle n drive under the influence. This is just an 'excuse' to get away from being charged with a crime that is 100% preventable. She wants ppl to feel sorry for her, NOT this writer!! I lost a person very dear to me because of an impaired driver. In this day n age people should know better then to get behind the wheel of a loaded weapon. How would she feel now, if she had killed/seriously injured somebody? Would her fellow councilors be standing behind her then. Ppl need to realize that if your going out to any event where there is alcohol, to plan ahead n make other arrangements for a drive home. What she didn't have the $ to pay for a cab in the big city?? Or she didn't want to pay the over night rates on leaving her car over night in the lot?? But she rather have paid the price of taking someones life!! No logic there!!