Foundation Mission

The Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education was established to ensure the Hawkins family – Laurie, Richard, Cassandra and Jordan – did not perish in vain. As a registered charity, it is bound by the requirements and laws of all registered charities in Canada under the Canadian Revenue Agency.

John Gignac, Laurie’s uncle, acts as spokesperson about the family’s terrible loss and is the face of the Foundation created in their honour. Not one for the limelight, John nonetheless has done more than 100 media interviews about CO safety and his family’s story including live appearances on Canada am, Breakfast TV and all major TV networks. And he has confronted his personal fear of flying to visit multiple communities in Canada to warn others about the dangers of carbon monoxide and urge them to protect themselves by installing a CSA-approved carbon monoxide alarm.

The Foundation has two primary purposes:

  1. To educate people on the dangers of carbon monoxide gas:
    • its sources
    • its symptoms
    • its statistics
    • its prevention and detection
  2. To raise funds to purchase carbon monoxide alarms:
    • alarms will be bought at special rates from Canada’s CO alarm manufacturers
    • fire departments can apply to the Foundation to receive donated alarms
    • alarm grants will be tracked and distribution verified in each community