Madam Speaker, I want to talk about the recent process to fund community organizations as part of the community initiatives fund specifically for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, targeted specifically at HIV/AIDS advocacy, awareness, and prevention organizations.
This process has completely shocked people across the country, and with good reason. People are speaking out. Many people have talked to me about this, including individuals from my own riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie, which I am proud to represent, as well as members of national organizations.
As part of this process, many well-known organizations, and some that have even been recognized for their work with an especially vulnerable population, have had their funding taken away. Many will have to either eliminate large portions of their activities, or in some cases, shut down altogether.
The process in question is riddled with problems. First of all, we are told that the funding has not changed. Theoretically, that is true, except that by lumping all networks related to HIV and hepatitis C together with all other sexually transmitted diseases, this ultimately reduces the funds available to each network.
What is more, even if that were not the case, we are still being told that the funding has not changed. That is also a problem because the funding has not changed for years and has basically been frozen. Rent, wages, and all the rest have continued to increase during that time, which means that, in reality, people have to do more with fewer resources. We are talking about community organizations, not organizations that have access to jet planes and limousines. There are many community organizations in my riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie, and they are already working extremely hard with very limited resources.
There is also a problem with the process. Funding criteria used to be public, but not this year. Yes, consultations were held. What the organizations are telling me is that the consultations were all over the map. I guess that is what this government likes to call a conversation. The organizations also told me that the consultations did not produce any tangible results. Afterward, the organizations were left in the dark, until, all of a sudden, they were given the bad news.
Speaking of consultations, it is interesting to note that consultations were held to discuss the priorities and objectives of the Public Health Agency of Canada, yet the decisions that were made do not correspond with those priorities. As I was saying, there are well-established organizations that are known for their work that had their funding drastically reduced.
Many of these organizations have been working on the ground for about thirty years. The government is suddenly, without warning dismantling an entire network. I see this happening and, of course, I feel bad for the organizations, but mostly I worry about the people they serve. When the government reduces or eliminates funding for organizations, it is the people that those organizations help—