In 2004, the Federal Government announced The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada- Strengthening Federal Action in the Canadian Response to HIV/AIDS. It was announced that the HIV/AIDS funding would increase from $42.2 million to $84.4 million by 2008-09. The full amount of the initiative was not available as originally announced. The funding should have reached $84.4 million under the initiative this fiscal year, yet we have been advised that $11.8 million will not be released as intended. Over the last three years, more than $30 million has not been distributed as originally planned. The number of infections in Canada continues to increase and the national response is essential to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in Canada. We are recommending that the funding under the Federal Initiative to address HIV/AIDS in Canada be increased to $84.4 million, as originally promised.

There is enormous value in funding the community HIV/AIDS movement in Canada. For one, it provides direct services to people living with HIV/AIDS in communities across the country. They provide support, care, treatment, prevention and education for those living with HIV and also for those at risk of contracting HIV. Most importantly, through their education and prevention programs, community AIDS service organizations play a direct role in reducing the number of HIV infections in Canada. According to 2005 statistics from the Public Health Agency of Canada, 62,000 people are currently living with HIV in Canada. Thanks to the funding provided to date, in comparison to other countries, Canada has been able to successfully contain the rate of HIV transmission. However, we need sustained funding to continue those efforts and to ensure that rates are lowered year after year, rather than allowing them to rise, as has been the general trend since early 2001.

Given that infection rates are still on the rise, much work remains to be done to educate a new generation of Canadians about the associated risks of contracting HIV. In some ways, these efforts are more crucial now than ever. Many take for granted that HIV is no longer as threatening as it was in the 1980s. A common misconception is that if HIV is contracted, it can be dealt with through treatment. While many advances have been made in HIV treatment, HIV still leads to complications resulting in premature death. And, while effective treatments are now available, they also cost taxpayers millions of dollars annually. Without adequate funding, we will lose the valuable ground we've gained. With more funds, we can successfully continue our efforts to stem the transmission of HIV.

While we recognize that the entire country is currently grappling with financial challenges due to the difficult economic times, funding for our movement, which caters to the most vulnerable populations, is more critical than ever to be able to keep up with the demand for existing services, which include a wide array of programs, including counselling and peer support, general support, such as nutritional programs and services to assist in meeting emergency expenses, and outreach to groups at risk, including people who use drugs, women and street-involved youth. Community-based AIDS service organizations also offer referral and advocacy services to ensure that people with HIV and AIDS are able to access appropriate health and information resources within their communities. And this is not an exhaustive list of services -- there are many more besides these. All help to provide people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS with access to the resources they need to be able to cope with life with HIV, especially access to health care -- a fundamental right for all Canadians.

The key reason to fund the community HIV/AIDS movement is that it is effective NOW. While Canada has recently embarked on the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative, a program which we also support, we would stress that this program is not able to respond to HIV at the present moment. In fact, it may be years until an effective HIV vaccine is developed. Until that time, the work to prevent transmission through education and prevention programs needs to continue. Funding for vaccines, therefore, should not be at the expense of community-based AIDS service organizations, which are actively addressing the fight against HIV as we speak.

Question to ask candidates

1. Will you and your party commit to restoring funding for the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada to $84.4 million as was originally intended?