Drunk driver who killed a family of four in 2016 given day parole

Lou and Linda Van de Vorst will never get over the shock and grief of their son and his family being killed in a drunk driving crash.

"Never, never in a million years — and especially in the crash that happened — you never lose that," said Linda Van de Vorst.

In early 2016, Jordan Van de Vorst and his wife Chanda died on scene while their kids Kamryn and Miguire died in hospital after Catherine McKay, who had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit, failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into their vehicle just north of Saskatoon.

McKay received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to impaired driving causing death and was serving her time at a healing lodge.

The Parole Board of Canada recently granted McKay six months of day parole to a community correctional centre or community residential facility when bed space is available.

"They're always in the back of your mind," Linda said. "Even when you do come together for a meal, you look at one quarter of the table and you know that those four faces were sitting there and you just know you miss them. It's never ending. That is the part of life that just doesn't go away.

"The pain you see on your kids when a birthday comes up or an anniversary or any special occasion. Who wants to celebrate because it's just not the same anymore.

"You don't have the laughter and the giggles like you used to have. And that's sad. And that was stolen from us four years ago."

The Van de Vorsts say they were opposed to McKay receiving full parole, which was denied.

"As far as we're concerned, parole itself — we would not be in favour of that," Lou said. "But at the same time we know that there are steps for her rehabilitation and reintegration into society and we would sooner have it step by step rather than right away throw her into the whole full thing of having full parole."

The parole board says the 53-year-old McKay has not made excuses for her crimes and has consistently worked on dealing with her personal trauma and substance abuse issues.

The board said in its decision that McKay had a good upbringing, but was sexually abused by an acquaintance of her family for several years.

As a teen, she began using drugs and alcohol. In 2015, she suffered a concussion and lived with chronic pain.

In the months leading up to the crash, the board said, McKay admitted to drinking to cope with pain, anxiety and panic attacks.

"You recognize your behaviours were becoming more impulsive and trips at the local bar were becoming more frequent," the board said.

The day of the crash, McKay recalled meeting up with a man and intending to only have one drink.

"You said if you could go back to that day to change one thing, you would not have been drinking at all," the board said.

While at the healing lodge, McKay has looked to elders for help, the board noted. She participated in an Indigenous sundance ceremony, in which she fasted and earned the spirit name "Sky Woman."

"You said you had an 'incredible spiritual awakening' and then described the four days where you stood and prayed into a tree and danced to the tree and could feel a power greater than yourself."

McKay plans to rely on Alcoholics Anonymous for help and said she feels repulsed by the thought of drinking, said the board.

Linda Van de Vorst said she will always hold McKay responsible for taking the lives of her four family members.

"And I know that she will live with that for the rest of her life, and unfortunately her children will also live with that memory as well for the rest of their lives," she said.

"But she made a promise in court four years ago and that promise was that she would do everything possible (to) carry on the message to not drink and drive and I'm going to hold her to that.

"It doesn't matter if she's in jail, in a halfway house or full parole... I'm holding her to her promise to change things."

The Van de Vorsts have been strong voices against drinking and driving and said they will continue their work with organizations like Madd Canada.

"For those people that (continue to drink and drive) I would wish and I pray that they would really think before they go out to not drink and drive," Linda said.

"Because if they kill someone you can't repair that. They will never repair that. They will never live that down for the rest of their life. And everyone gets affected by that."