Letter to Prime Minister Harper: Global AIDS Pandemic

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

In a letter addressed to you earlier this year on May 8, the national leaders of the Canadian Council of Churches expressed their concern about the human impact of the global AIDS pandemic, and urged you to announce several initiatives when the government addressed the UN General Assembly, the G8 Summit and the International AIDS Conference. While we were disappointed that you decided not to attend the Toronto Conference, we were pleased to note the participation of International Cooperation Minister Verner and Health Minister Clement. However, we were dismayed when a pending announcement of new Canadian initiatives was abruptly postponed until later in the year. We are concerned that this announcement still has not been made.

Prime Minister Harper, the immense human cost of the AIDS pandemic remains a top priority for Canadian churches and we remain deeply committed to churches and partners overseas who are at the forefront of caring for persons living with HIV and AIDS. For us, the Ecumenical Pre-Conference hosted by the Canadian Council of Churches and the International AIDS Conference itself served as an occasion for renewing this commitment and for a new level of resolve to address the roots of the pandemic in poverty. As the Canadian Council of Churches, we have urged all our members to show leadership in addressing the HIV and AIDS crisis. For details, please see the attached Invitation to Canadian churches.