The Government of Canada highlights International Missing Children’s Day and the success of ‘Our Missing Children’ program

May 25, 2010

OTTAWA — Today, at an event to commemorate International Missing Children’s Day, the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator, the Honourable Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu on behalf of the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice, highlighted the success and commitment of the ‘Our Missing Children’ program in reuniting missing children with their families.

“The pain of having a child go missing is something no parent should have to face,” said Minister Toews. “By working collaboratively, we can continue the success of the ‘Our Missing Children’ program as it works to prevent child abductions both domestically and internationally, and to find missing children.”

“The anguish a family faces when a child is abducted to a foreign country is life-altering. The collaboration of the partners involved in Our Missing Children program is key to prevention and to the return of children to Canada,” said Minister Cannon. “We are ;also working hard to encourage countries to accede to international mechanisms such as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abductions and to develop partnerships with countries that are not yet able to accede to this Convention.”

“Our Government takes the safety of our citizens very seriously, particularly when it comes to the most vulnerable members of society - our children,” said Senator Boisvenu. “We will continue to work with our partners in government and law enforcement to protect children in our communities.”

The ‘Our Missing Children’ program brings together provincial and territorial governments, Canadian law enforcement agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, Foreign Affairs Canada and the Department of Justice Canada. Through this program, partners exchange vital information to help locate missing children and reunite them with their families.

International Missing Children’s Day is a day to commemorate missing children who have been found, remember those who have been victims of crime and continue efforts to find those who are still missing.

In recognition of this day, Minister Toews released six balloons, each depicting a Canadian child who is a victim of parental abduction. Seven other countries including: Australia, Brazil, Greece, Netherlands, Romania, United Kingdom and Ireland will also be releasing balloons to commemorate the day.

For more information, please visit: www.ourmissingchildren.gc.ca