moved for leave to introduce Bill C-263, An Act to establish a national framework for silver alerts.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to introduce my first private member's bill, the silver alert national framework bill.
The bill is inspired by a tragedy in my community. Over two years ago, Earl Moberg, a beloved husband, father and grandfather living with dementia, went missing from his Winnipeg home in the winter of 2023. Despite extensive search efforts, he was never found and is presumed deceased.
When a vulnerable senior goes missing, every minute matters. By 2030, nearly one million Canadians are expected to be living with dementia, and the risk of serious injury or death rises dramatically if someone is not found quickly. Canada already has the infrastructure to issue rapid geotargeted emergency alerts, but we lack a coordinated national framework for silver alerts.
The bill would require the federal government to work with provinces and police to establish that framework so communities can be alerted quickly and more families would have the chance to bring their loved ones home safely.
I hope that all members of the House will support this important bill, and I encourage all Canadians who do to contact their local MP and urge them to support it.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)