COUNCILLOR DOWN ON WHY DRIVE HIGH? EFFORT

The city's Why Drive High? awareness campaign got off to a false start
just minutes after it began when organizers realized that the Arabic
translation on their campaign posters made no sense.

One councillor doesn't think the slogan is sending the right message
- --even in English.

"Why Drive High? I don't know if it makes much sense in English," said
Baseline Coun. Rick Chiarelli, adding that the message should be as
clear as anti-drinking and driving messages, which suggest that you
will kill people or wind up in jail if you do so.

"But 'Why Drive High?' sort of sounds like you're inviting debate,"
Chiarelli said.

The yellow poster shows a marijuana leaf filled with images of car
accidents, and features the slogan "Why Drive High?" in English,
French, Arabic, Somali and Chinese.

Somewhere in the transition from the proofed electronic version to the
printer, the Arabic text was altered -- the letters disconnected --
making the slogan nonsensical, according to the city's medical officer
of health Dr. David Salisbury.

Tom Scholberg, a health promoter with campaign partner Carlington
Community and Health Services, said a youth on hand at the campaign's
May 15 launch noticed the error.

"It was just missed," he said. "We found out about it about five
minutes after the launch and we've been taking steps ever since to
correct it."

It will cost an estimated $2,000 to reprint the posters and replace
those already on display, including 425 interior bus ads and about 75
bus shelter ads.

The campaign is funded by a multi-year $389,000 Health Canada grant
and the design team included 10 multicultural youth advisors.