RECOMMENDATION 1 on increased funding
On overall funding and evaluation for the renewed Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | The federal government increase the total funding for the renewed federal Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS to $100 million annually; |
| (b) | This increased federal funding specifically designate $5 million annually to each of the two at-risk sub-populations (First Nations and Inuit as well as inmates) falling under federal jurisdiction; |
| (c) | This increased federal funding specifically designate $5 million annually to Canadian researchers engaged in vaccine development; |
| (d) | This increased federal funding be reviewed in two years to ensure that it is appropriate to changes in the status of the disease and its economic, physical and social impact on Canadians; |
| (e) | This increased funding be contingent on the establishment of five-year measurable goals and objectives for decreasing the number of new cases each year. |
RECOMMENDATION 2 on effectiveness and accountability
To ensure an effective strategy and ongoing evaluation of the renewed Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS funding, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | Health Canada be mandated to take the lead role in coordinating, implementing and reporting on a comprehensive and collaborative renewed Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS; |
| (b) | Health Canada establish a specific Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS secretariat with designated budget and personnel to carry out this lead role; |
| (c) | Health Canada work with its federal partners to ensure that the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS include appropriate, clear, measurable five-year goals and objectives as well as a process for evaluation and accountability; |
| (d) | Health Canada coordinate work with its federal partners to review the total Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS funding amount and allocation within two years; and, |
| (e) | Health Canada, through the Minister of Health, report annually to Parliament on the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, including a focus on goals and achievements according to Treasury Board guidelines. |
RECOMMENDATION 3 on overall allocation
With respect to the overall distribution of Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS funding, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | As part of the two-year review of the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, Health Canada work with its federal partners to examine the division of funds to ensure that it meets changing needs for prevention, treatment, research and community living of those with HIV/AIDS; |
| (b) | Health Canada, in partnership with other federal departments and agencies involved in the renewed Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, expand the prevention strategies and ensure that they are specifically targeted to meet the individual needs of the diverse communities at risk; |
| (c) | Health Canada and its federal partners ensure that awareness and prevention programs are increasingly administered by affected communities including people living with HIV/AIDS, youth, Aboriginal or ethnic communities and are more sensitive to culture, age and gender. |
RECOMMENDATION 4 on specific affected groups
With respect to the funding distribution for specific affected groups, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | Health Canada increase prevention strategies targeted specifically to youth to be delivered in a sequentially age appropriate manner, to be targeted to areas frequented by youth, and to be inclusive of the specific needs of youth in rural and remote areas; |
| (b) | Health Canada and other federal partners provide stable, long-term funding for regional Aboriginal AIDS service organizations to develop culturally appropriate practices to fight HIV in the community and to help implement specific programs to deal with the HIV/AIDS-related needs of the disproportionately large Aboriginal population in prisons; |
| (c) | Health Canada and other federal partners ensure that stronger provisions and funding arrangements are made to support individuals who are negatively affected by the social stigmas and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and that such individuals are provided greater accessibility to medical services, employment, social support, etc.; |
| (d) | Correctional Service Canada provide harm reduction strategies for prevention of HIV/AIDS amongst intravenous drug users in correctional facilities based on eligibility criteria similar to those used in the outside community (as per the recommendation of the December 2002 report of the Special Committee on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs); |
RECOMMENDATION 5 on specific research
With respect to the funding distribution for specific research, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | The Canadian Institutes of Health Research consider allocating public research dollars to gender specific and culturally appropriate investigations; |
| (b) | The Canadian Institutes of Health Research consider allocating public research dollars to investigations of effective non-pharmaceutical alternatives for prevention and treatment. |
RECOMMENDATION 6 on coordination
For the overall coordination of the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | Health Canada take the primary responsibility for ensuring that the renewed Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS is implemented and that a report on the expected outcomes and achievements from the Strategy activities is provided annually to the House of Commons and referred to the Standing Committee on Health; |
| (b) | Health Canada coordinate a comprehensive interdepartmental and interagency Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS with measurable goals; |
| (c) | In addition to the current partnership with Correctional Service Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS include coordinated work with the Canadian International Development Agency on international issues, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada on Aboriginal support issues, Human Resources Development Canada on employment concerns, Justice Canada on human rights questions, Citizenship and Immigration Canada on immigrant and refugee health and Industry Canada on vaccine development and drug access issues. |
RECOMMENDATION 7 on extended federal partnership
For an expanded and cooperative federal partnership, the Committee recommends that:
| (a) | The federal government devise a blueprint for a more comprehensive and coordinated interdepartmental/interagency Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS that addresses the domestic and international health, justice, economic and other needs of the Canadian population affected by HIV/AIDS; |
| (b) | The federal government ensure that any related funding commitment to international research is made after consultation with the Canadian research community and that any research funding to foreign researchers is directed primarily to research fields where Canadian researchers are not working or are not suited to engage in themselves; |
| (c) | The federal government make bilateral involvement between the HIV/AIDS research community in Canada and developing countries a condition of international research funds, especially with regard to clinical trials, vaccine development and drug resistance, and encourage researcher exchanges. |