By Cecilia Nasmith
Two Northumberland municipalities – the Municipality of Brighton and the Town of Cobourg – have passed motions supporting the expansion of the Amber Alert system.
At the August Corporate Support Committee meeting, members voted to recommend that Northumberland County add its support.
The Amber Alert system was created to alert the public quickly when there's a suspected child abduction, broadcasting all information available so that anyone with information that might lead to the child's safe return can respond.
The recent disappearance of 11-year-old autistic boy named Draven Graham – not being an abduction – did not qualify for an Amber Alert. The boy was subsequently found dead.
Tens of thousands of citizens have since signed a petition on Change.Org requesting the creation of a Draven Alert to permit alerts to be issued for vulnerable children who are missing – who may not have been abducted but are at serious risk of injury or death.
Committee member Bob Crate said every resource available should be utilized when someone is missing in a life-threatening scenario.
“We have had situations recently where, if we had an alert, it may have helped in hindsight,” Crate said.
Cobourg Mayor John Henderson, another committee member, said the town had supported the expansion “for obvious reasons.
“It will be inclusive for those who have special needs as well as, perhaps, seniors,” Henderson said.
He added that the county's health board has supported the move as well, keeping in mind those with medical life-threatening conditions.
“With this motion and, hopefully, the support of Northumberland County as well, then we can see what the government chooses to do with it.”
Motion calls for the support of county council, and for a copy of the resolution to go to Premier Doug Ford, Solicitor General Michael Kernzer, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini, Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and all municipalities in the province.
