Thunder Bay has played a significant role in new provincial legislation giving police more power to search for missing persons.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones says the Missing Persons Act was introduced July 1st.
“Our government’s Missing Persons Act was a key recommendation in the inquest into the deaths of 7 First Nations youth in Thunder Bay.”
Jones notes the Act gives police three pieces, or tools, to use when there’s no evidence a crime has been committed.
“The first will allow police to obtain copies of records that may assist in a search. The 2nd allows police to obtain a search warrant to enter a premise to locate a missing person. And the third allows police to make urgent demands for records without a court order.”
The Solicitor General adds it gives police more tools, but also strikes a balance with privacy issues.
“Including whether there is evidence that a person does not wish to be found. The Act also includes guidelines on what information police may disclose about a missing person before and after they have been located.”
I was pleased to mark the Missing Persons Act coming into force at the @TorontoPolice headquarters with @marksaunderstps. The act allows police to respond to missing persons investigations rapidly, while balancing concerns for an individual’s privacy. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/0o7KeQD80G
— Sylvia Jones (@SylviaJonesMPP) July 18, 2019
