HEAL Committee Report

Ms. Bonnie Brown, M.P., Chair

Standing Committee on Health

Room 147, Confederation Building

House of Commons

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A OA6

 

Dear Ms. Brown:

 

I am pleased to respond, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to the third Report of the Standing Committee on Health, Strengthening the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, which was tabled in the House of Commons on June 5, 2003.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and committee members for taking the time to conduct such a thorough examination of this important public health issue.  The report reflects the discussions that I have had with people affected by HIV/AIDS across the country and identifies important ways to strengthen the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS (CSHA).

 

As Minister of Health, I am committed to maintaining an ongoing dialogue with people on the front lines.  They are the people who deal with the epidemic every day, especially those living with HIV/AIDS.  We gain great benefit from their unique knowledge and insight.

 

The CSHA is intended to continually adapt to the new and emerging realities of the epidemic and to focus on persons living with and at risk to HIV/AIDS.  Since 1990, the federal response to HIV/AIDS has been twice renewed, evolving to meet the current needs of Canadians.  Last September I asked Health Canada officials to review the current federal role in the CSHA.  The review examines the lessons learned over the past five years, identifies current challenges and proposes new directions and related funding. 

 

As you may know, the review was completed in July 2003, shortly after the release of your committee’s study.  Like the report of the Standing Committee, it also recommends strengthening the Government of Canada’s leadership and coordination of Canadian efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  I intend to use the results of this review to inform future discussions with my colleagues and I have asked my officials to develop a renewed framework for the CSHA that will respond to the needs of Canadians.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the key issues raised in your report.

 

The Committee has asked for a significant new investment in funding for the CSHA.  The Government of Canada remains committed to providing financial support for the CSHA.  In 1998, the Government of Canada recognized the importance of a long term commitment in fighting HIV/AIDS and shifted from time limited to ongoing annual funding of $42.2 million.  Both funding and the importance of strategic investments will be key considerations as we develop a renewed framework for the CSHA.

 

The Committee has asked the federal government to continue to demonstrate leadership in the CSHA.  The Government of Canada remains committed to working with its many partners to address HIV/AIDS both in Canada and abroad.  We have made some progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, due in large part to the collaborative spirit resulting from our many partnerships.  Domestically, Health Canada will continue to work with NGOs, provinces and territories, other government departments and individual Canadians to address the challenges presented by the epidemic.

 

The Committee has asked for greater interdepartmental involvement in the CSHA.  Of the many things that we have learned since the CSHA was implemented in 1998, perhaps the most important is that HIV/AIDS is multi-faceted and complex, touching many different aspects of peoples’ lives.  For this reason, I strongly believe that Health Canada and other federal departments can make a major contribution collectively to a more comprehensive, coherent and coordinated approach that involves both the domestic and international dimensions of HIV/AIDS.

 

The Committee has asked for improved accountability for the CSHA to measure progress under the CSHA and to meet the changing needs of Canadians as they fight the epidemic.   Health Canada is working to improve both coordination and reporting on the range of HIV/AIDS initiatives to better achieve the goals of the CSHA.  As part of its renewal work, Health Canada is developing a new set of measurable goals and objectives for the federal role in the CSHA so that we can more effectively measure our progress and meet the changing needs of Canadians as they fight the epidemic.  As the Minister of Health, I will continue to report regularly on the CSHA’s progress through the annual World AIDS Day report and the Departmental Performance Report. 

 

The Committee has asked the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to consider specific areas of research.  The areas outlined by the committee are important in moving the HIV/AIDS research agenda forward.  CIHR will request that the HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee, which is responsible for identifying HIV/AIDS research priorities, consider gender specific and culturally appropriate research and research into non-pharmaceutical alternatives for prevention and treatment.

 

The Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS provides a unique framework through which our partners work together on innovative approaches to prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Our goal is to ensure a compassionate, comprehensive and effective Canadian response. We’ve fought many battles with this virus over the past two decades and the Government of Canada is committed to continuing to fight HIV/AIDS together with its many partners.

 

Respectfully submitted,




A. Anne McLellan