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The federal government will be introducing legislation that will create a DNA based missing person’s index (MPI) and commit $8.1 million to create it.
The MPI will be one of five new indices created in the RCMP’s National DNA Data Bank. The new index will help coroners, medical examiners and police investigate cases of missing persons and unidentified remains. The legislation will be known as “Lindsey’s Law”, named after Lindsey Nicholls who disappeared in 1993. Her mother Judy Peterson has worked tirelessly to advocate for the creation of a DNA based missing persons index and petitioned for the passage of legislation.
“It's been a very long emotional journey, but I am absolutely thrilled with this crucial legislation – Lindsey's Law,” said Nicholls. “Desperately searching families will finally have the comfort of knowing that if our missing loved one's remains are found anywhere in Canada, they can be identified. This closes a gaping hole in DNA legislation and also provides important tools for coroners and police.”
The creation of the MPI will allow police to use existing technology to compare missing persons with unidentified human remains across the country.
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