By The Canadian Press

Missing Canadians

RCMP to shine a light on Canada’s missing children

May 19, 2019 | 8:00 AM

OTTAWA, ON – In 2018, 42,233 children were reported missing in Canada. Having a child go missing can be devastating for parents and loved ones and can profoundly affect entire communities.

May 25 marks National Missing Children’s Day – a day to commemorate missing children who have been found, remember those who are still missing, and continue efforts to bring the missing home.

In honour of this special day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be launching a week‑long campaign starting May 20, which will feature missing children from across Canada on the Canada’s Missing website.

The goal is to help shine a light on missing children cases and encourage those who may have information to submit a tip.

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Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale says the federal government takes the safety of its citizens very seriously, particularly the most vulnerable – children.

“While the vast majority of missing persons are located within days, some are not. These cases are heart-wrenching for family and friends, and potentially dangerous in cases of foul play. Today, we are reminded of all those children still missing and their loved ones waiting for their safe return. We also acknowledge the efforts of police officers from across the country who continue to work tirelessly to return them home,” Goodale said.

The Canada’s Missing website contains hundreds of missing person profiles and is an essential investigative tool. It’s managed by the RCMP’s National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains, which assists law enforcement, medical examiners and chief coroners with missing persons and unidentified remains investigations across the country.

Collaboration is key in missing person investigations, which is why the RCMP and the Missing Children Society of Canada will be signing an agreement on Friday, May 24, to strengthen the relationship between the two organizations and support each other’s efforts to recover missing children.

Chief Superintendent Marie-Claude Arsenault, Director General for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains says the RCMP’s dedicated unit of specialists and our hard-working partners work tirelessly to return children home to their loved ones each year.

“However, more can always be done. We hope that by sharing the stories of these missing children, someone out there might remember something. No matter how old an investigation is or how insignificant a piece of information may seem, you might be able to provide the missing piece of the puzzle. Please read their stories and help bring them home.”

This May 25, the RCMP are encouraging everyone to visit canadasmissing.ca and help bring any missing children home.