Nicholas Donaldson
Sage Morin visited Fort Frances High School last Thursday morning to speak with students about her tragic story involving the death of her son and the changes she wants to drunk-driving laws.
On May 19, 2013, Morin’s two-year-old son, Geo Mounsef, was struck and killed by a vehicle that crashed onto the patio of a suburban restaurant in Edmonton as the family was eating dinner.
The driver, who also injured both of Geo’s parents, Geo’s five-month-old brother, and the waitress serving them, was suspected of drinking and driving but refused to provide a breath sample based on advice from his lawyer.
The man was charged with one count of impaired driving causing death, three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm, and one count of refusing to provide a breath sample after causing a death.
Despite evidence that the man had been drinking, including eye-witnesses and his own admission that he had consumed alcohol earlier in the day, Crown prosecutors decided to drop the four impaired-driving charges in exchange for a guilty plea to refusing to provide a breath sample.
“He was originally only sentenced to four months, which was the lowest sentence in Canada for this crime,” noted Morin, who is spreading her message across Canada through the “Justice For Geo” campaign.
“He decided to appeal that, thinking that he only deserved a $1,000 fine and probation,” she added.
“[But] in a unanimous, scathing decision, the judges all found him grossly negligent and criminally responsible for this.”
The man then was given 26 months of jail time by the Alberta Court of Appeal, but he now is taking his appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Morin is travelling across Canada to share her son’s story and gather support for a change in the law to make breath testing mandatory in cases of death or injury, with failure to comply resulting in automatically being deemed impaired.
She also is looking to prevent future judges from citing the case to reduce the punishment for impaired drivers refusing a breath sample.
Her journey will end in Ottawa on Oct. 11, when the Supreme Court of Canada is scheduled to hear the man’s case.
Morin encouraged Fort High students to sign the letter template she has written so that they then can be sent to federal Justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould.
More than 450 letters have been signed so far by people across the country.
Her stop here was the first large presentation Morin has been able to make, with most of her work being done handing out pamphlets and talking to people on city streets or in parks to encourage them to sign the letter.
Morin said she is doing everything to get her message out there.
“I’m looking to share Geo’s story with my fellow Canadians and take a stand against the current legislation,” she said before her presentation here.
Morin said the amendment she is proposing has become very dear to her, especially after travelling and hearing from others, along with their reactions to the current laws.
“People that we have met along the journey have been surprised, as well, and we’re finding that is the case all across Canada,” she remarked.
“From the day we started the journey to now, there have been so many heart-breaking stories.
“The amount of people we come across every single day that have their own stories, or have their lives affected in their own way, is a true testament that Canada needs these laws changed and Canadians are willing to make it happen,” Morin stressed.
She added the support she’s received from family, friends, and strangers across the country has kept her on her journey to Ottawa.
“It’s been our driving force,” Morin said.
Morin won’t have a say at the Supreme Court hearing–she can only sit, watch, and keep faith.
She is, however, making her voice heard with her speeches, the support she is gathering, and the letters she is collecting to send to Parliament.
“This is why it was so important to go across the country because with this dangerous precedent that has been set for all Canadians, it is of national importance,” Morin argued.
“This is our chance to get Geo’s story out there and send a message to Parliament.
More information can be found on the “Justice For Geo” Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JusticeForGeo, along with updates on Morin’s journey to Ottawa.
