Mr. Speaker, communities across the country are working hard to stop the spread of AIDS, yet the federal government has not increased the level of funding for the AIDS strategy in eight years.
The AIDS strategy funding does not take into account the increased need for services or the money needed to support new programs, prevention, support services and new clients. The result is that many existing programs are actually receiving less money than they have in the past.
In Windsor, Ontario, the Aids Committee of Windsor had its funding cut by $100,000 this year even though Windsor has the fourth highest HIV rate in the province. That means people living with aids and their families may not receive the important information and support they need. Despite the rising HIV rate in Ontario only 20 out of 36 agencies that needed funding actually received it.
We cannot afford to let these urgent needs go unmet. I call on the government to address this serious problem and join communities across Canada in the fight against the spread of HIV and AIDS.