Mr. Speaker, in making this statement I am also speaking on behalf of the hon. government House leader and solicitor general who had to leave the Chamber for personal business.
I am here today on behalf of the government to mark the fourth anniversary of National Child Day. This day is designated to raise awareness and to help Canadians celebrate the special meaning that children bring to our lives. It is also a day to reflect on the special needs of children and to think of ways we can improve their well-being.
Again this year, the United Nations announced that Canada has the best quality of life in the world. We are proud of this, but it must not lead to complacency.
Where child poverty exists in a country as rich as Canada, it must be a concern for our entire society. The Government of Canada is acting on a number of fronts to address this problem. For example, we have doubled the working income supplement provided to low income families, and the new employment insurance program contains measures to enable Canadians to get back to work and to provide a basic income guarantee for low income families.
We also want to see children grow up in the most secure and safe environment we can possibly make. All too often children fall prey to criminal victimization and exploitation. As members know we are now discussing in a parliamentary committee Bill C-27 which provides major protection against child prostitution. It also attacks the horrible scourge of sexual exploitation of children by tourists abroad and gives us the right to prosecute Canadians who engage in these practices.
Another area of special concern to many families is the plight of children who are reported missing. At any given time there are about 1,500 to 2,000 reported cases of missing children across Canada. Most are runaways but a considerable number of these children are victims of parental abduction. Child abductions are difficult and complex to deal with when they occur in Canada. They become even more difficult when other countries are involved.
Since 1986 the RCMP's missing children registry, Revenue Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which form our missing children initiative, have come together to become a powerful force in returning missing children to their homes. This partnership has resulted in a significant increase in the recovery and safe return of missing children in Canada and abroad.
I am pleased to inform the House today on National Child Day that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is joining the RCMP's missing children registry and its partners in our missing children initiative.
Along with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in the Our Missing Children program, we are able to trace missing and abducted children throughout the world. This co-operation is vital to our efforts to ensure the safety of our children within their families, in the home and on the streets.
For example, the RCMP's missing children registry, in operation since 1986, is a major source of computerized information on missing children in Canada. In 1995 alone the registry assisted in the safe recovery of almost 400 missing children.
With the help of Canada Customs and Immigration, critical border points are alerted when a child is reported missing. This alert system has reduced the chances of children being taken out of the country where their recovery may become much more difficult.
With foreign affairs officers in Ottawa and in embassies and consulates around the world bringing their considerable expertise to this program, Canada has the strongest national system in the world to return missing or abducted children to their parents or guardians.
I must stress however that the government is not alone in this partnership. Without the help of private sector partners, police, searching agencies and non-government partners, our success rate would not be where it is today. In fact, every part of society has an important role to play in this partnership.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the our missing children program have prepared a booklet and fact sheet to provide the most accurate and current information on what to do in cases of child abductions, especially for cases involving out of country abductions.
Members of Parliament are often the first point of contact when constituents do not know where to turn when faced with a problem that requires the help of these specialized services. That is why I am pleased to inform you, Mr. Speaker, that these information documents will be distributed today to all members of the House.
Together, we can do something to ensure that our children are safe at home and elsewhere.
I call on all members of this House to join me in applauding the efforts of the men and women of our police, customs, immigration and consular services for their daily efforts to combat the problem of missing children.