Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, December 1 is World A.I.D.S. Day. The theme is "A.I.D.S.: Community Commitments". The topic this year is of special interest to us because in the Northwest Territories it is essential for communities to become actively involved in stopping the spread of this fatal disease.
In the Northwest Territories, 21 A.I.D.S. virus infections have been reported since 1987, eight of these have been reported in 1992. There is no doubt that there is A.I.D.S. in the Northwest Territories. Most of the infections have been found in young adult males, but women, children and seniors have been affected. Dene, Inuit and non-native residents have been affected.
A.I.D.S. is nearly always fatal. Six of the 21 reported infected persons already are known to have died. Other deaths may have occurred among those infected persons who left the Northwest Territories.
In addition to the 21 known H.I.V. infections, there are many more people in the N.W.T. who are infected with the A.I.D.S. virus but probably do not know about it. These persons will permit the disease to spread further and faster than in previous years. No community in the N.W.T. is safe from A.I.D.S.
Public education efforts over the past few years have provided most Northwest Territories residents with the basic information about A.I.D.S., but it cannot be restated too often.
The A.I.D.S. virus is not spread by food or water, it is not spread by saliva, sweat, tears, urine, hand shaking, swimming pool water, showers or toilets. A.I.D.S. is spread by unprotected sexual contact and by the sharing of contaminated needles for injection.
Knowing about the disease is not enough. If we are to stop the spread of A.I.D.S. people must know that there is a risk of infection from unprotected sex and adopt sexual practices that will protect them from that virus.
It has become clear that public education has not yet been very successful in changing sexual behavioural patterns. Until it is, our efforts to control the spread of the A.I.D.S. virus will not be effective.
In conclusion, I am very encouraged by the action being initiated by regional boards and community groups. I am also pleased to have the support of the Standing Committee on Finance in placing greater emphasis on an A.I.D.S. Awareness Program this year. In the future, we cannot afford to fail in the effort to control the spread of A.I.D.S. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.