Stronger protections for vulnerable children

Whereas many autistic, non-speaking, or otherwise vulnerable children face life-threatening risks when they wander or go missing, even absent any evidence of abduction or foul play;

Whereas current emergency alert criteria are designed primarily for suspected abductions, often delaying or preventing public alerts until special exemptions are granted;

Whereas parents and advocacy groups have called for reform so that alerts respond to the danger a child faces rather than solely to whether a crime is suspected;

Whereas there is an urgent need for a national framework for timely public alerts, stronger first-responder training and search protocols, and clear police authority to warn the public when a vulnerable child’s life may be at risk;

Therefore, we the undersigned call on the Liberal government to convene provincial and territorial governments, law enforcement, and families to establish a Canada-wide alert framework for missing vulnerable children, strengthen first-responder training and search protocols, and ensure police have clear authority to issue immediate public warnings when a vulnerable child’s life is at risk.