Poilievre calls for reform to public alert system following disappearance, death of Calgary boy
Conservative leader, who has autistic daughter, wants alerts to better protect missing vulnerable children
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for reform to the national emergency alert system to better protect missing vulnerable children, after an 11-year-old Calgary boy with autism was found dead following his disappearance earlier this month.
In a letter to federal Minister of Emergency Management Eleanor Olszewski on Thursday, Poilievre and Conservative MP Mike Lake called for Canada-wide changes to public alerts, improved first responder training and search protocols, and clarifying police authority in issuing alerts.
Speaking on CBC Radio's The Homestretch Thursday, Poilievre said personal experience prompted the letter, as his seven-year-old daughter has autism and is largely non-verbal.
"She could wander off," he said. "[My wife and I] thought: what would it be like if that happened to us?"
Along with Lake, who also has a child with autism, Poilievre said the emergency alert system needs to change to allow for alerts to be issued even when there is no evidence of foul play.
"There's a lot of things that we can do as a country to help in situations where autistic kids do wander off," he said.
WATCH | Why Pierre Poilievre wants to see better alerts for missing children:Poilievre added he "has no doubt" the minister wants to help in the matter, and said he would like to see her office work with its provincial counterparts to develop a national framework for issuing alerts, even when an abduction has not occurred.
In a statement, Olszewski said she appreciates the letter's concerns and is meeting with Lake next week to discuss its proposals.
Olszewski also said efforts to strengthen the "reliability and consistency" of the National Public Alerting System based on recommendations from Nova Scotia's Mass Casualty Commission are ongoing.
"While provinces and territories are responsible for deciding when and how many types of alerts are issued, we remain committed to working together to ensure Canadians receive timely and reliable emergency alerts when they need them most," she said.
Need to develop clearer protocol, Poilievre says
Parker disappeared from a specialized day facility on July 16, triggering an exhaustive search involving hundreds of police officers, alongside hundreds of trained searchers and volunteers.
Alberta's chief medical officer confirmed Thursday remains found the previous day have been formally identified as Parker.
- Investigators find body believed to be missing Calgary boy, Parker
- The emotional fallout for many Calgarians after search for Parker ends in tragedy
An Amber Alert was not immediately issued, as police did not have reason to believe the boy was abducted.
Two days after his disappearance, an emergency alert was broadcast after the Alberta government issued an exemption following a police request.
Some parents of neurodivergent children and advocacy groups have proposed creating a dedicated alert for missing vulnerable children, what some have called an "indigo alert."
Others have called for an expansion of the existing Amber Alert system to include cases not believed to involve abduction.
"Whatever form the solution takes, the principle should be simple: the system must respond to the danger facing the child, not only to whether a crime is suspected," Poilievre and Lake said in their letter.
Amanda Pick, CEO of the Missing Children Society of Canada, previously told The Canadian Press she understands why families want broader alerts, but officials must also consider alert fatigue if they become too common.
Poilievre acknowledged fatigue is a concern, but said that could be addressed by protocols.
"What we can do is develop protocols when a certain amount of time has passed and when certain things about the child's behaviour lead us to believe that the child might have left and wandered far and dangerously away," he said.
WATCH | Why some people want to see emergency alerts expanded:Developing an information kit to help first responders, volunteers and the public better understand the needs of neurodivergent children and how to help them if they're in danger is needed too, Poilievre said.
The letter also pointed to ensuring law enforcement have clear authority to warn the public when a vulnerable child may be in danger.
On her provincial radio show Saturday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government is looking at expanding the ability of local law enforcement to issue alerts themselves.
"I think the bottom line is we have to give law enforcement this additional tool in the event that they need it, and we'll have to make the changes to make that happen in the fall," she said.
Advocate 'thrilled' to see increased national awareness
Stephanie Karas, a Calgary mother of two children with autism, previously told CBC News she has been lobbying municipal and provincial governments to create an emergency alert protocol specifically for situations like Parker's.
Despite the "heartbreaking" news of the boy's death, she said she is "thrilled" the issue is getting nationwide attention.
"I think the Parker situation is bringing a lot of awareness and it's on a way bigger level," Karas said. "I'm so appreciative that we're able to push for some positive change."
Improving search protocols and clarifying law enforcement's authority is also necessary, she said.
"We want every public servant to have more knowledge of what is required," Karas said. "I think the second and third part of [Poilievre and Lake's] request is essential."
Karas acknowledged there is still work to be done when it comes to awareness about what autism and other neurodivergent conditions can look like in a variety of spaces.
"I am hoping that this can change on a fundamental level."
With files from Karina Zapata and The Canadian Press