Mr. Speaker, Canada will host the 11th International AIDS Conference to be held in Vancouver from July 7 to July 12.
This conference is the largest in the world. It brings together the greatest scientists from every country, community groups and people with AIDS. Unlike his predecessor, Brian Mulroney, who opened the Montreal Conference in 1992, the Prime Minister has casually declined the organizers' invitation.
My question is for the Acting Prime Minister. Since the Prime Minister attended the Paris AIDS Summit last October, why did he decline the invitation to participate in the official opening of the International AIDS Conference in Vancouver, something that is unacceptable?