Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a nation-wide advocacy group that works with victims of drunk driving, is unhappy with Kiefer Sutherland as the voice of Ford Canada.

An actor with three drunk driving convictions is not a suitable role model for the car company, said MADD Canada president Margaret Miller.

Kiefer Sutherland, shown in September 2007, was sentenced Wednesday to 48 days in jail in his drunken driving case. Kiefer Sutherland, shown in September 2007, was sentenced Wednesday to 48 days in jail in his drunken driving case.
(Matt Sayles/Associated Press)

Sutherland began serving a 48-day jail sentence in California Wednesday after his third conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Gina Gellert, a spokeswoman for Ford Canada, confirmed the star of 24 will remain the voice on the automaker's TV ads.

However, Gellert said Ford will monitor the situation.

Four Canadians are killed and 187 injured by alcohol and drug-related collisions every day, MADD Canada said.

It's tasteless for Ford to keep Sutherland as its spokesman under these circumstances, Miller said.

She suggested Ford hire a more deserving Canadian celebrity for its campaign.

Sutherland was under probation for an earlier drunk driving conviction when he was picked up a third time.

He was sentenced to 48 days, which he will serve consecutively in a Glendale, Calif., jail.

Fox has postponed filming of the hit TV series 24 because of the Hollywood writers strike and Sutherland is expected to complete his sentence before filming resumes.

The Canadian actor is the son of actors Shirley Douglas and Donald Sutherland and the grandson of Tommy Douglas, the legendary Saskatchewan Premier and founder of medicare.

With files from the Canadian Press