leona aglukkaq

By: John Geddes, Macleans

 

There’s no denying the federal government’s new anti-drug TV ad tells a disturbing story. A freshly scrubbed adolescent in her well-appointed bedroom looks like she might be about to relax with a couple of Justin Bieber tunes. Instead, an eerie soundtrack starts up. “One, two, kicked out of school,” sings a hollow, girlish voice straight out of a horror-movie trailer. “Three, four, snort some more.” Soon she’s trashing the room, then randomly snipping off some of her own hair, and finally scratching at the angry needle marks on her forearm. “Five, six, need my fix.” It’s a relief when the spooky carousel music stops and a calming adult narrator advises kids to check out Health Canada’s DrugsNot4Me website. Read more »

By: Andre Picard, Globe and Mail

 

Does Canada still have a federal health minister?

 

And, more important, does it have a government with the slightest interest in maintaining the national health-insurance program called medicare?

 

For all practical purposes, the answer to both of those questions is a resounding “No.”

 

Leona Aglukkaq, who holds the title of Minister of Health, was glaringly absent this week from the Canadian Medical Association gathering in Niagara Falls, Ont.

 

It is the first time in living memory that the steward of medicare failed to address the annual meeting of the so-called parliament of medicine.

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By MINDY JACOBS, Toronto Sun

 

Over the centuries, scientists who dared to challenge rulers of the day often found themselves in jail. Today, politicians who prefer ideology over truth just stick their fingers in their ears.

 

The key statement that emerged from last week’s International AIDS Conference was a declaration asking governments to base their drug policies on scientific evidence.

 

So far, about 14,000 people have signed the so called Vienna declaration, including Nobel Laureates, former heads of state, religious leaders and experts in science, medicine and law.

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By: Dale Smith, Xtra News

 

Nearly six months after the federal government announced that it would not be going ahead with a planned HIV vaccine manufacturing facility as part of the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI), they announced where the $139 million would be going.

 

From the World AIDS Conference in Vienna, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq made the announcement.

 

Of the $139 million, the redistribution would see $102 million go toward improving basic science in developing countries, with an eye on developing clinical vaccine trials there while working to improve regulatory capacity in Canada and those developing countries. So far, far $51 million has been spent.

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By: Gloria Galloway and André Picard , Globe and Mail

 

OTTAWA and VIENNA – When critics jumped on Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to stay away from a major international AIDS conference that draws heads of state, his office pointed out that Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq attended as the representative of the Canadian government.

 

But Ms. Aglukkaq’s performance did little to impress some of the doctors and scientists at the gathering.

 

Julio Montaner, the outgoing president of the International AIDS Society who is also a Canadian, saved his parting shot for the government of Canada, issuing a sharp rebuke.

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OTTAWA — Canada has pulled the plug on funding to one of the largest AIDS vaccine development agencies in the world.

Between 2001 and 2008, the Canadian International Development Agency contributed nearly $80 million to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, one of the biggest backers of HIV vaccine trials in the developing world. Canada was one of IAVI's major funders.

In 2009, Canada contributed nothing to the organization and said funding was under review. There was no money again in this year's federal budget and no decision on whether IAVI will ever receive Canadian funding again.

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