Ginette Lavack

Madam Speaker, Procedure · 21 wordsI am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-263, an act to establish a national framework for silver alerts.Procedure Thanks · 20 wordsI would like to thank the member for Kildonan—St. Paul for bringing this important matter to the House for debate.Thanks Claims · 63 wordsThe safety of our seniors, especially those living with dementia or other cognitive impairments, is a priority for us all. This is a topic that transcends party lines, and it is no exaggeration to say that dementia impacts every community across Canada. The silver alert concept is born from a place of genuine compassion and a desire to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Positioning · 27 wordsWe can all imagine the heartbreak and terror that families must feel when a loved one with a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s wanders away from home.Positioning Claims · 158 wordsIt is estimated that nearly one million Canadians will be living with dementia by 2030.¹ We need to make sure that we have the right methods and tools in place to protect vulnerable people who may go missing, people like Earl Moberg, who inspired this bill and who serves as a poignant reminder of the very real consequences if we do not get this right.² Bill C-263 proposes a national framework to support a coordinated silver alert system. Among other things, it seeks to use our existing national public alerting system to issue alerts when a vulnerable senior disappears.³ The federal, provincial and territorial governments already collaborate on Alert Ready, ⁴or the national public alerting system. It alerts the public through TV, radio and wireless devices to life-threatening situations, such as tornados, fires and Amber alerts.⁵ In 2024 alone, 855 emergency alerts were issued across Canada.⁶ These alerts provide life-saving information during extreme weather or other critical events. The ask · 34 wordsWe need to make sure that any framework is developed in consultation with our provincial and territorial counterparts across the country so that it complements existing local protocols, rather than complicating or duplicating them. Reasoning · 16 wordsThis step is crucial, considering that missing persons are an area of provincial and territorial jurisdiction.⁷ Claims · 42 wordsTo date, no preliminary discussions have been held with the provinces and territories to determine whether they would even support such a framework.⁸ Search and rescue operations are often led by local police services in coordination with provincial agencies and volunteer organizations. Reasoning · 27 wordsWhether a senior goes missing in a rural township or a dense urban core, the response must be immediate and tailored to that specific area or community. Claims · 96 wordsThe local authorities are the ones who have the on-the-ground knowledge to respond quickly and effectively. Quebec has implemented a non-intrusive alert program that was announced in February 2026.⁹ It is an evidence-based program that alerts the public in non-intrusive ways, on social media, TV or radio, for example. Budget 2025 committed to renewing the national public alerting system model to better support emergency alerting across Canada.¹⁰ Guidance for consistent NPAS alerting, including missing vulnerable people, is already a topic of discussion with provinces and territories, and it is expected to be covered by this work. The ask · 14 wordsBill C-263 could be strengthened by acknowledging this work and collaboration in its preamble. Reasoning · 18 wordsFor a notification system to be effective, it must be used judiciously and the parameters must be clear. Claims · 14 wordsCanada already has a highly effective system for the direst circumstances, the Amber alert.¹¹ Reasoning · 10 wordsThe power of the Amber alert lies in its rarity. Claims · 21 wordsWhen that sound goes off on Canadians’ phones, they know it is a life-or-death emergency involving a child in immediate danger. Reasoning · 119 wordsIf we expand the criteria for emergency broadcasts to include every instance of a missing senior when thousands of such incidents occur annually across this country, we run a very real risk of creating alert fatigue. If the public begins to perceive these alerts as routine, they may start to ignore them. By overusing the emergency broadcast system, we would inadvertently weaken its effectiveness for everyone, including the very seniors this bill seeks to protect. We must therefore ensure that alerts are only issued when necessary, in order to maintain the public’s high level of responsiveness in the event of an emergency. Clear thresholds must first be established and would have to be met before such alerts are issued. The ask · 21 wordsTherefore, the bill would be further strengthened by including these thresholds in the preamble to ensure consistent application across the country. Positioning · 34 wordsOur government often speaks of its commitment to the safety and dignity of all Canadians, and these are not just empty words. The government is determined to take concrete action to ensure everyone’s safety.PositioningPartly on pointVague promise Reasoning · 28 wordsIt is because of our seniors that we have the great communities and country we have today. We owe it to them to keep them safe from danger. Claims · 15 wordsIn conclusion, the government recognizes the merit in exploring a national approach to silver alerts. Reasoning · 10 wordsHowever, a national framework must be efficient, clear and non-duplicative. Promise · 20 wordsTherefore, with some amendments to streamline the bill and include clear thresholds, the government is prepared to support Bill C‑263.¹²