Sunday, August 13, 2006
Cold as Ice...
So, the 16th annual International HIV/AIDS conference is being held in Toronto this week and our Prime Minister was nowhere to be found. The first time in the 16 year history of the conference that the head of government declined an invitation to attend. Why? Because Harper decided that defense of our Arctic border was a bigger priority. I have to say that is utterly disgraceful. HIV/AIDS is the largest global epidemic, and it is still a problem in Canada among many disenfranchised groups (women of colour, gays). With Harper running off to the Arctic, he's essentially saying that AIDS is not a priority of this country.The truth is that for Stephen Harper, it isn't. Every decision that he has made as PM (caving on softwood, extending Afghanistan mission, limiting press coverage, not denouncing Israeli offensive in Lebanon) has been to repair our relations with (re: suck up to) the Bush administration. The Bush administration have repeatedly shown that AIDS is not a priority of their government. So since Canada no longer forges its own foreign policy, AIDS isn't a priority to this government either. Whether you are a conservative or a liberal or whatever, as a Canadian, you should be offended by Harper's actions today. AIDS is the global epidemic of our time, and for our head of government, to be complacent about it is deplorable.
# posted by Chief @ 10:15 p.m. 
