Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province will consider creating a new alert mechanism for missing vulnerable children, as the extensive search continues for 11-year-old Parker in Calgary.
Smith said the province plans to examine the issue this fall, including whether law enforcement agencies should be given greater authority to issue public emergency alerts when a vulnerable child goes missing but the circumstances do not meet the existing criteria for an AMBER Alert.
The discussion has gained urgency following Parker’s disappearance from a day home in northwest Calgary on July 16. Parker is neurodivergent and non-verbal, and police have expressed serious concerns for his safety.
Parker’s case initially did not meet Alberta’s legislated criteria for an AMBER Alert because there was no evidence that he had been abducted. However, because of the exceptional circumstances and his vulnerability, the Alberta government granted an exemption allowing Calgary police to use the Alberta Emergency Alert system.
Hundreds of police officers, search-and-rescue personnel and trained volunteers have been involved in the effort to find Parker. Search teams have used police dogs, aircraft, mounted and bicycle patrols and other specialized resources while investigators have reviewed extensive surveillance footage and followed hundreds of tips from the public.
The search remained active over the weekend, including operations around Nose Hill Park. Police stressed that focusing resources in the area did not mean investigators had specific information indicating Parker was there.
Parker’s family has urged Calgarians to continue looking for him even after the emergency alert expired, emphasizing that the expiry does not mean the search has ended or become less urgent.
The case has renewed discussion about whether Alberta needs a dedicated alert system for vulnerable missing children who may face immediate danger but whose disappearance does not qualify for an AMBER Alert.