All right. Thank you.
I listened to the other witnesses talking about their objectives. As I said in my opening statement, the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure significantly impacts prevention success rates.
Before coming to Canada, members of the African community were tested for HIV/AIDS in their home countries. If they're infected, they can't even obtain a visa. Even students who are infected aren't allowed to come.
When people reach out to Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, which is a Toronto-based association, we give them information pertinent to the situation in Canada. In their home countries, signs informing the public about the reality of AIDS are very visible. People know about the disease and take precautions. They talk about it with one another. As soon as they set foot on Canadian soil, however, there is nothing telling them that AIDS exists here as well. Most of the time, then, the members of our community are infected here, in Canada. We do our best to remind them that AIDS is a reality everywhere, in Canada and Africa alike, and that they need to take precautions.
We've started working with the Centre francophone de Toronto to provide people with information at points of entry such as airports. Those arriving in Canada for the first time deal with immigration officials. The kits they are given upon arriving now include information pamphlets. They indicate who to contact and provide guidance on what to do.
We educate them on HIV/AIDS so that they don't become infected, but if they do, we tell them where they can turn to access the services and support they need.