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e-7643 (Public safety)

E-petition
Initiated by Jenn Thompson from Calgary, Alberta

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Many children with autism and functional capacity limitations are prone to wandering, and many autistic, non-speaking, or otherwise vulnerable children face immediate life-threatening risks when they go missing, even without evidence of abduction or foul play;
  • Current emergency alert criteria are primarily designed for suspected abductions and often prevent or delay public alerts until special exemptions are granted;
  • Parents and advocacy groups have called for reform so that the system responds to the danger facing the child rather than solely to whether a crime is suspected; and
  • There is an urgent need for the creation of a national framework for timely public alerts when vulnerable children go missing, strengthened first-responder training and search protocols, and clear authority for police to issue immediate warnings when a vulnerable child’s life may be at risk.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Immediately convene provincial and territorial governments, law enforcement, families, and relevant organizations to create a Canada-wide framework that allows timely public alerts when autistic, non-speaking, special-needs, or otherwise vulnerable children go missing, even when abduction or foul play is not suspected;
2. Strengthen first-responder training and search protocols specifically for missing autistic and non-speaking children, and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and
3. Ensure police have clear authority and the necessary tools to warn the public immediately when a vulnerable child’s life may be at risk, so that bureaucratic rules never cost precious time as every minute counts in protecting Canada’s most vulnerable children.
Open for signature
August 7, 2026, at 9:08 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
November 5, 2026, at 9:08 a.m. (EDT)
Photo - Michelle Rempel Garner
Calgary Nose Hill
Conservative Caucus
Alberta