Métis Nation-Saskatchewan calls for ‘Indigo Alert’ system after death of Calgary boy

Following the disappearance and death of 11-year-old Parker Wells in Calgary, the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan is calling on the province to join Alberta in considering using a new alert system to help protect vulnerable children.

An Indigo Alert System was proposed in Alberta after the autistic boy went missing in Calgary on July 16. His body was found after a 13-day search.

His case didn’t meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, which are issued when a child is believed to have been abducted.

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In a statement, the the Métis nation said an Indigo Alert system would “address individuals currently falling through the cracks.”

“The Indigo Alert System would be inclusively and distinctively designed for individuals outside of child abduction – those with autism, mental or physical challenges, suffer dementia, in vulnerable situations, the list goes on,” said Brennan Merasty, the Métis nation’s justice minister.

“We need authorities to be able to respond to missing persons reported, regardless of their age, immediately. We need to remove the barriers that currently prevent a wider alert system that could save lives.”

Calls for an Indigo Alert System have come from several fronts, including a petition started by Calgary woman Jennifer Ball, the mother of “a non-verbal autistic child,” on Change.org.

“We propose broadening the criteria to include all missing children who are deemed at risk due to medical, developmental, or communication challenges, regardless of evidence indicating an actual abduction,” the petition read.

The petition encouraged the public to “urge Canadian authorities to amend the emergency alert system and bring crucial changes that can save lives.”

As of Monday, the petition had been signed by more than 38,000 people.

The idea has received support from several high-profile politicians, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

In the statement, Beverly Fullerton, the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan’s health, mental health and addictions minister, described the issue as “deeply personal”, as she has a son who is autistic and non-speaking.

“For families like mine, this issue is not theoretical. It is a fear we carry every day, and it can become a life-or-death emergency within minutes. A new system needs to be put in place to close those gaps,” Fullerton said.