Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Sunday, December 1, thousands of people around the world marked World AIDS Day. At home, in Quebec, between two and three people are infected by this virus every day. In the face of such a scourge, all resources must be mobilized to ensure prevention, treatment, care and research continue.
Each new victory is the result of concerted efforts both nationally and internationally. This government hardly contributes to these efforts, as the departure of our most brilliant researchers and the lack of funding for long term research jeopardize the future.
That is why I urge the federal government to maintain, better yet to increase, funding for the National AIDS Strategy and particularly for AIDS research. We must carry on and press ahead. Most importantly, the necessary steps must be taken to fight this disease so as to keep the hope of a definitive victory alive.