Federal petition calls for emergency alerts when vulnerable children go missing without evidence of foul play

A federal parliamentary petition launched Friday is pushing the government to create a Canada-wide emergency-alert framework for vulnerable children who go missing, even when abduction or foul play is not suspected.

Petition e-7643, sponsored by Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner, calls for alerts to be issued when children with autism, special needs, or other vulnerabilities disappear. The framework would be created in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, law enforcement, relevant organizations, and families.

The petition also asks the government to ensure police have authority and tools to inform the public immediately when a vulnerable child's life may be at risk, so "bureaucratic rules never cost precious time, as every minute counts in protecting Canada's most vulnerable children."

The push for reform follows the death of 11-year-old Parker Wells, an autistic and non-verbal child who went missing from his day home on July 16. His body was found nearly two weeks later in a network of pipes under Deerfoot Trail. Because there was no suspicion of abduction or foul play, Parker's case did not initially qualify for an Amber Alert. An exception was made, but approximately 48 hours had passed since he went missing before the alert was issued.

"Many children with autism and functional capacity limitations are prone to wandering, and can face immediate life-threatening danger when they go missing, even without evidence of foul play," Rempel Garner said. "When a child's life is at risk, there cannot be any delay in deploying life-saving tools and supports."

A separate provincial petition with similar goals was launched by Calgary mother Jennifer Ball, who also has a non-verbal autistic child, just days after Parker's disappearance. That petition has garnered more than 36,000 signatures and calls on each provincial and territorial government to create an 'Indigo Alert' for any vulnerable person who relies on caregiver support and goes missing, regardless of suspected abduction.

Several politicians have publicly supported alert-system reform, including federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Leduc-Wetaskiwin MP Mike Lake, Calgary Confederation MP Corey Hogan, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. In a joint letter dated July 30, Poilievre and Lake called for the same reforms as petition e-7643, plus strengthened first-responder training and search protocols for missing children with disabilities.