Government of Canada Plans for AIDS 2006

AIDS 2006 Toronto

XVI International AIDS Conference August 13 - 18, 2006

Canada will host the world from August 13 - 18, 2006, when as many as 20 000 delegates gather in Toronto for the XVI International AIDS Conference, which is being organized by the International AIDS Society. Through the Federal AIDS 2006 Secretariat, more than a dozen departments and agencies have joined forces to ensure a coherent and effective Government of Canada presence that will contribute to the overall success of the event.

Canada is not new to the experience, having hosted the International AIDS Conference in Montréal in 1989 and again in Vancouver in 1996. One thing that sets the Toronto conference apart, however, is the level of interest and involvement of a range of federal departments and agencies that have not traditionally been engaged in HIV/AIDS issues.

«The Secretariat was formed because an unprecedented number of government departments want to take part in the conference,» explains Carla Gilders, Director General of Health Canada's International Affairs Directorate, which took the lead in establishing and now chairs the Secretariat. «Especially since the conference will be held on Canadian soil, we have a great opportunity to demonstrate the lessons learned from Canada's response to HIV/AIDS, both domestically and internationally. A lot of coordination is needed to ensure that the federal government is front and centre at the conference and that its messages are consistent and accurate.»

The Secretariat was established in January 2005. It brings together federal officials to address issues ranging from financial support for the conference to immigration, intergovernmental coordination and international protocol. Subcommittees have been established to address specific issues such as communications and the development of satellite sessions and other events.

«We are working closely with the conference organizers (led by the International AIDS Society), the Local Host Advisory Committee, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto and others to make sure this event is a success, not only from an organizational perspective but also in moving the response forward,» says Bersabel Ephrem, Associate Director General of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and Alternate Co-chair of the Secretariat.

Other Government of Canada officials are also involved in the conference planning in a number of ways. For example, the federal Minister for International Cooperation, Aileen Carroll, is the Canadian co-chair of the Leadership Programme Committee for AIDS 2006. As well, Dr. Frank Plummer, Director General of PHAC's Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, is the Canadian co-chair for the Basic Sciences Track.

Consistent with the Federal Initiative's goal of expanding the response to include a broader range of federal departments and agencies, the Secretariat has helped to increase awareness of the conference within government. For example, Canadian Heritage, which is not usually involved in issues related to HIV/AIDS, has become quite engaged by issues of sport and youth.

The Secretariat acts as a single point of contact for all inquiries to the Government of Canada related to AIDS 2006, reviews requests for federal funding, and links non-governmental stakeholders with relevant departments and agencies that will have a presence at the conference.

Both PHAC and Health Canada will be making significant financial contributions to support the core activities of the conference and to provide scholarships for approximately 500 Canadians who otherwise would not be able to attend such an important event. As well, there will be a Canadian exhibition space at the conference to profile the work of governments and civil society. The Secretariat is also identifying topics of interest for the federal government and considering how to promote them. For example, some departments may collaborate on specific issues or develop or participate in satellite sessions.

As of October 2005, the following departments were participating in the AIDS 2006 Secretariat:

• Health Canada
• PHAC
• Foreign Affairs Canada
• Canadian International Development Agency
• Correctional Service Canada
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada
• Canada Border Services Agency
• Justice Canada
• Canadian Heritage
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
• Social Development Canada
• Industry Canada
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

The theme of the XVI International AIDS Conference is «Time to Deliver» For information on the conference, visit www.aids2006.org.