Mr. Speaker, more than two years ago, Earl Moberg, a beloved husband, father and grandfather from my community in Winnipeg, went missing in the middle of winter. He was living with dementia and, despite extensive search efforts, he was never found. He is presumed deceased.
Unfortunately this tragic story is not unique. By 2030, nearly one million Canadians are expected to be living with dementia. Many will go missing, and when they do, every minute matters. The risk of serious injury or death rises dramatically the longer they are not found.
Canada already has the infrastructure to issue rapid, geotargeted emergency alerts. What we lack is a coordinated national framework to use it for missing vulnerable seniors. My private member's bill, the silver alert national framework act, would fix that and require the federal government to work with provinces and police to ensure that alerts can be issued quickly and consistently across Canada.
This is about giving families a better chance to bring their loved ones home safe and alive. I urge all members to support the bill. Canadians who agree should contact their local MP and ask them to support Bill C-263.