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Laurie's Private Members' Statement

Private Members' Statement - World AIDS day

Private Members’ Statement in the 26th Legislature of Alberta, 3rd Session by Ms. Laurie Blakeman, MLA Edmonton-Centre

Alberta Hansard – November 29, 2007

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. December 1 is World AIDS Day. To commemorate World AIDS Day and AIDS Awareness Week, HIV Edmonton is holding a series of community discussions, the annual AIDS vigil, and a memorial tree that can be visited all week at the Edmonton HIV office, located in my constituency of Edmonton-Centre. Similar events are being held in Calgary and other Alberta centres.

As of June 2006 there were 4,400 people living with HIV in Alberta. There were over 200 new reported HIV infections in Alberta in 2006. These were as the result of intravenous drug use; sexual encounters, both homosexual and heterosexual; people identified as heterosexual but who come from countries where there is an HIV epidemic; and from other and unknown sources.

HIV Edmonton reports that only 2 per cent of Albertans are getting adequate testing and suggests that at-risk populations account for far more than 2 per cent of the population. Concerns for anonymity, lack of access to testing facilities and education may be concealing a higher number of cases. While most people living with HIV and AIDS are still gay men, one of the largest new groups is young women. They are getting HIV because they thought birth control pills would protect them.

The World AIDS Day theme this year is Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise. The goal is to urge national governments and policy-makers to meet targets to provide universal access to HIV treatment, support, and prevention service by 2010. The blood-borne pathogen and sexually transmitted infection strategy, which unfortunately has not been released by this government, would assist in planning and preparing strategies for future programs.

As we go about our business this weekend and the rest of this week, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on the impact of AIDS in Alberta and think about how you can support the Living Positive community.

Thank you.