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Canada needs to shed its "delinquent" and "hypocritical" position on AIDS and step up as a world leader in fighting the global pandemic, Stephen Lewis, the UN secretary-general's special envoy for AIDS in Africa says.
Mr. Lewis, one of the key participants in the international conference on AIDS in Toronto this week, was on-line earlier today to take your questions on his views, his UN role, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's refusal to speak to the conference which has attracted more than 31,000 participants from more than 120 countries, and other AIDS/HIV issues.
Mr. Lewis also heads the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a charitable organization that helps victims of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
The former leader of the Ontario New Democrat Party, Mr. Lewis stepped down as party leader and as an Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in 1978.
Stephen Lewis and former U.S. President Bill Clinton speak at a press conference Tuesday at the 16th World AIDS Conference in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/CP)
After working for several years as a labour mediator, columnist and broadcaster, Mr. Lewis was appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 until 1988.
From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Lewis was Deputy Director of UNICEF and he is currently working for the United Nations as the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. In his role as Special Envoy, it has been his job to draw attention to the HIV/AIDS crisis and to convince leaders and the public that they have a responsibility to respond. He has been widely praised for his effectiveness in this role.
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Jim Sheppard, Executive Editor, globeandmail.com: To our readers: Mr. Lewis verbally answered your questions earlier this afternoon. A partial transcript follows.
You can also listen to the full audio of his answers here. The full audio is about 33 minutes in length.
Jim Sheppard, Executive Editor, globeandmail.com: Welcome, Mr. Lewis, and thanks for joining us today to take questions from the readers of globeandmail.com about the international fight against AIDS/HIV. Let me ask you this to start: What do you hope will be the main accomplishments of this conference and what do you think the impact will be of Prime Minister Harper's absence, and his government's apparent inability to make a decision about its AIDS policy?
Stephen Lewis: I think the main accomplishments will be two-fold.
One, the thoughtful engagement around important and emerging issues from circumcision to microbicides.
And two, the meeting of the conference theme of trying to deliver a much stronger focus on getting things done at a country level at the grassroots.
Prime Minister Harper's absence is something that sticks in the craw of many of the conference delegates. They are offended by it and insulted by it. I think it was a serious mistake in judgment on his part because he lost the opportunity to set out Canada's policy and the confusion around Canada's position where funding is concerned.
The constant cancellation of press conferences and delays in answering questions — that has introduced a level of uncertainty that doesn't inspire confidence. I suspect that before the conference is over, there will be an announcement of funding around vaccines and microbicides and research and World Health Organization and Global Fund. There will be all of these things. But it will be seen to be a desperate effort to restore credibility, rather than a serious contribution.
Kevin Leal, Toronto: Mr. Lewis, I have worked in trying to educate youth in Toronto concerning HIV/AIDS and I have noticed that many of the youth here seem to believe that HIV is not in issue in Canada. They have told me that HIV is really only a problem in Africa. My question to you is this: Do you believe that the attention given to HIV/AIDS in Africa might make some people here in Canada feel like they don't have to worry about HIV/AIDS? Thank you very much for your time and please keep up the great work.
Stephen Lewis: Thank you, Kevin. I don't think we have to work in compartments here.
