HIV/AIDS Communiqué - Volume 4 Number 2 - Fall 2005

Events
	AIDS 2006
	Research
	CIHR I M and E Track
	Aboriginal
	NACHA FNIHB
	Funding
	National Funds
	Reports
	UNGASS WAD
	Social Marketing
	Social Marketing Campaign
	Misc
	Ministerial Council PHAC Regional Offices Tripartite Study

AIDS 2006

Communinqué: XVI International AIDS Conference, August 13-18, 2006 (Toronto)

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with several other federal government departments and agencies, are preparing for the XVI International AIDS Conference which will be held in Toronto from August 13-18, 2006. The biannual International AIDS conferences, organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS), are the worlds largest and most prominent HIV/AIDS conferences. They provide a unique forum for the interaction of science, community and leadership, with the goal of enhancing the worlds response to HIV/AIDS.

The 2006 conference, guided by the theme of Time to Deliver, is expected to attract more than 19, 000 delegates from around the world and draw considerable
media attention at home and abroad. The location of the conference in Toronto provides a tremendous opportunity to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among Canadians and to profile Canadas contribution to the HIV/AIDS response both nationally and globally.

The Government of Canada is committed to doing its part to ensure the success of the 2006 conference. As such, Health Canada has established a federal secretariat to coordinate the federal engagement in the conference. This group, comprised of representatives from close to 20 federal government departments and agencies, meets regularly to plan and prepare for the conference. Federal government contributions to the conference will include financial support to the overall conference program and the Domestic and International Scholarship programs, co-organizing or co-sponsoring events throughout the conference period, and participation of senior officials on various conference committees

For general information about the conference and related activities, please consult www.aids2006.org. For specific questions regarding Government of Canada participation, please contact Amy Arnold at: amy_arnold@hc-sc.gc.ca.

Research

The Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (FI) makes a commitment to introduce collaborative and integrated national research planning and priority setting between 2004 and 2009. The funds for this activity, as with all of the funds for the FI, will be ramped up gradually within that time frame.

In 2004-2005, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) agreed to carry out a series of small projects which will provide background information and a foundation for this national research planning/priority setting activity in the years to come as well as informing CIHR's HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee (CHARAC) in the interim.

CIHR is engaging a consultant to carry out a project to complete an environmental scan which explores the state of HIV/AIDS research in Canada. This includes:

• Identifying Canadian sources of HIV/AIDS research across federal and provincial departments and agencies and community-based HIV/AIDS organizations.
  
• Determining levels of support for HIV/AIDS research
  
• Gathering information of existing HIV/AIDS research priority areas and spending across these identified priorities
  
• Synthesizing and analyzing data providing an overview of strengths and weaknesses in Canadian HIV/AIDS research and identify potential gaps
  
• Generating data regarding research specific to two target areas; microbicides and vaccines.

It is CIHR's goal to have this project completed by October 31, 2005.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is carrying out two small projects over the next six months:

1. Models of research planning and research priority setting: The purpose of this contract is to report on previous Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS (CSHA) research planning initiatives, their strengths, weaknesses as well as to gather clear and comprehensive models of research planning and priority setting which could be applied to HIV/AIDS research carried out in Canada. Models chosen should be in relevant areas where the research is broad and multifaceted and includes areas as diverse as biological, clinical, sociological, psychological, behavioural, legal, human rights related, and economic. As well, models selected should encompass issues where the research is carried out by a range of participants which could include community-based organizations, clinicians or educators, and independent as well as academic researchers.
2. Research priorities identified in key documents and by key informants/stakeholders: The purpose of this contract is to review documents from CSHA Direction Setting Meetings, reviews and evaluations as well as the FI and the pan Canadian Leading Together document. In addition, interviews with a limited number of key informants and stakeholders will be conducted to gather their input on research areas that need attention in order to get ahead of the HIV epidemic in Canada. These informants will include those organizations representing researchers such as CAHR, CANFAR, CTN, OHTN, BC Centre for Excellence, all of the major HIV NGOs, as well as several organizations representing persons living with HIV, particularly those which represent specific populations vulnerable to HIV, including gay men, injection drug users, Aboriginal people and people coming from countries where HIV is endemic.

These three projects, while informing CHARAC in the interim, will provide important information about how to proceed with the national HIV/AIDS research planning/priority setting process. The project on models and methods will integrate previous Canadian HIV/AIDS research planning experience while building on lessons learned in other fields. This will provide a foundation for a collaborative process to engage all stakeholders in Canadian research planning and priority setting.

The project on research priorities identified in key documents and by key stakeholders and the environmental scan of current research provide critical information which will feed into the planning and priority setting process once this is established, as outlined above.

Next steps:

The results of these three projects will be shared widely with stakeholders throughout 2006 and a process for developing a national research plan which is collaborative, integrated, comprehensive, evaluated and renewed on an ongoing basis, will be designed.

CIHR

On November 1, 2004, the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity, in partnership with the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health, announced the first round of Requests for Applications ( RFA) under the new HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research (CBR) Program. The Program supports applications that engage communities in health research on HIV/AIDS, empowering communities to take control of health promotion and practices to reduce the risk and incidence of HIV/AIDS infection in all settings. The first round of RFA included six categories of grants and awards: Operating Grants, Development Grants, Research Technical Assistant Grants, Capacity Building Workshops, Doctoral Research Awards and Masters Research Awards.

During the transfer, CIHR worked hard to maintain the principles of the program and consulted with the community to ensure that its valuable contributions would not be lost. To ensure continuity and maintain the spirit with which the CBR program was developed, two distinct Merit Review panels were established. The panels were composed of researchers and community members who brought their expertise in CBR, knowledge of CIHR, experience with the Health Canada program and unique cultural representation to the panels. The panels met in early March to review the projects.

A total of 53 applications were received across the six RFA: 32 to the General competitions and 21 to the Aboriginal competitions. There were 15 projects approved for funding in the General competitions and an additional 11 in the Aboriginal competitions, representing a very impressive 50 percent success rate.

We are very pleased with the final results of this first launch. The large number of applications received speaks to the need for community driven initiatives and the increasingly valuable role that community contributions make.

The funding available to CBR will increase from its current $1.8 million to a $3.3 million by 2008/2009. The next opportunity to apply for CBR funding will be in June 2006. For more information, please go to Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) (CIHR).

Monitoring the HIV Epidemic more closely: Second Generation HIV Surveillance in Canada 

Keeping pace with the changing HIV epidemic situation in Canada and in line with the latest recommendations by WHO and UNAIDS on HIV/ AIDS surveillance, a sentinel surveillance system that tracks risk behaviours associated with HIV and related infections such as other STIs and Hepatitis C among populations at higher risk is being established by Public Health Agency of Canada. This is being done in collaboration with provincial, regional and local health authorities, community stakeholders, and researchers. The surveillance system will provide critical information for those involved in planning and evaluating the response to HIV, STIs and Hepatitis C among higher risk populations such as injecting drug users (IDUs) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Through this system, national, and to a certain extent, provincial and local trends in injecting and sexual risk behaviours can be assessed. Further, behavioural trend data will enhance existing surveillance data and national incidence and prevalence estimates in monitoring the course of the HIV and related epidemics. The data can also be used in combination with other data sources to assess the effects of prevention efforts and policies at the national and provincial levels.

M-Track: Second Generation HIV Surveillance among MSM in Canada : Monitoring Trends in the Prevalence of HIV/ Viral Hepatitis/ STIs and Associated Risk Behaviours

Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the early 1980's, men who have sex with men have been severely affected by the spread of HIV in Canada . They account for the highest number of AIDS cases and positive HIV test reports. Recent data on HIV incidence and risk behaviours suggest that MSM continue to be at risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections by engaging in high risk sexual behaviours.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is currently establishing M-Track; a second generation surveillance system of MSM in Canada . In Montreal , Phase 1 of M-Track was recently completed in collaboration with ARGUS study team, in which over 2,000 MSM completed questionnaires and provided dried blood specimens (DBS). Negotiations are ongoing to begin M-Track pilot studies in Toronto and Ottawa to assess feasibility of data collection procedures, including questionnaire administration and biological specimen collection. The Agency is also working with other sites to examine the possibility of expanding the M-Track network. The M-Track studies have also provided a platform to undertake newer laboratory tests such as detuned HIV assays on DBS to assess incidence of HIV. In addition to testing for HIV and HCV, the DBS collected in Montreal will also be tested for syphilis.

For more information on M-Track, please contact
Dana Paquette at :Dana_Paquette@phac-aspc.gc.ca or
Rhonda Kropp at: rhonda_kropp@phac-aspc.gc.ca

I-Track: Enhanced Surveillance of Risk Behaviours among injecting drug users in Canada

Injecting drug users (IDUs) are at risk of acquiring HIV and other blood-borne infections such as Hepatitis C through contaminated injecting equipment and unsafe sexual practices. An HIV- and hepatitis C- associated risk behaviour surveillance system has been established by PHAC at sentinel sites across Canada through collaboration with provincial, regional and local health authorities, community stakeholders, and researchers. The pilot phase of this surveillance system was undertaken during the fall of 2002 and a report on the findings of the pilot phase was published in February 2004:
I-Track: Enhanced Surveillance of Risk Behaviours among Injecting Drug Users in Canada . Pilot Survey Report.

Phase I of the survey has been completed at Victoria , Sudbury , Toronto , Winnipeg , Regina , and Edmonton and is linking with the SurvUDI study at sites in Quebec and Ottawa . A report of Phase I of the survey is currently under production. Negotiations are ongoing to expand the I-Track survey to include additional sites. The specimens collected under I-Track have also provided the opportunity to study HCV genotypes circulating in Canada . A meeting of stakeholders was held in Montreal on September 20-21, 2005 , to discuss the expansion of the survey, to refine methodologies, and to discuss ways to use the information for evidence-based program planning.

For more information on I-Track, please contact Dr. Yogesh Choudhri at : yogesh_choudhri@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Aboriginal

NACHA

The National Aboriginal Council on HIV/AIDS' (NACHA) held face-to-face meetings in March and July of this year. Following the evaluation of 2004, and the recommendations from the Aboriginal Summit (April 2004), NACHA has revised its Terms of Reference; its new mandate is "To act as a national advisory body providing policy advice to Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada and other relevant stakeholders about HIV/AIDS and related issues among all Aboriginal (Inuit, Métis and First Nations) Peoples in Canada."

NACHA has adopted its first Strategic Plan (2005- 2010) and adopted four Priorities for Supportive Policy Advice:

• Review HIV/AIDS programs and policies, and identify and advise the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada when a more appropriate (defined by NACHA) approach is required to address the diversity of needs within and among Aboriginal communities.
• Advise on matters that are important in ensuring equitable access to resources and provide information that supports HIV/AIDS-related prevention, education, care, treatment, and support services and programs within and among Aboriginal communities and in the broader context.
• Enable Aboriginal organizations that currently provide HIV/AIDS services and those that are emerging to increase their capacity to meet ever more complex and challenging needs
• Engage the support of Aboriginal leaders, the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, the Ministerial Council on HIV/AIDS, the FPT Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS, PHAC, HC, Federal/Provincial/Territorial governments and organizations, and the Canadian public in collaborative efforts to address the growing epidemic in the Aboriginal community.

NACHA has prepared a detailed workplan for 2005-2007, with key activities including providing advice on emerging issues, improved communications, participating in reviews of PHAC/FNIHB programs and polices, strengthening linkages with other advisory and coordination bodies, and commissioning research on Métis issues in HIV/AIDS.

For more information, please contact Tanya Lary at: tanya_lary@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

FNIHB update

Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) HIV/AIDS Program has focussed on four areas over the summer months: regional consultations for the development of the HIV/AIDS program compendium; partnership building; HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C nursing guidelines; and the International AIDS Conference, taking place in 2006.

Program Compendium
In April, the second draft of the HIV/AIDS Program compendium was reviewed by the sub-working group on HIV/AIDS, FNIHB's regional committee. At that time, it was agreed that each region would take the draft document to its community members for review and feedback. The National office completed its community review with its national partner organizations (CAAN, Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association and AFN) in June. The regional consultations were staggered throughout the summer months, with many occurring in late August. The feed-back from these consultations will inform the third draft of the Compendium. FNIHB hopes to have the document approved by its Branch Executive Committee in late fall.

Partnership Building
The HIV/AIDS Program has focussed on strengthening partnerships within FNIHB in two ways. First, at each regional visit conducted by the National Program Manager, representatives from the areas of nursing services, community medicine, and addictions and mental health have attended half-day information sessions on the Federal Initiative. Secondly, at the National office, the National Program Manager is developing working relationships in the areas of nursing services, addictions and mental health.

HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Nursing Guidelines
The HIV/AIDS Program has started to update its guidelines on HIV/AIDS for nurses working with First Nations communities. Part of that update will see the inclusion of Hepatitis C issues. FNIHB has established a review committee made up of nurses in the fields of public health and community care. This committee met in August and offered a number of recommendations on how best to proceed in this project. Next steps, therefore, will involve a more comprehensive description of nursing practice in communities, and a strategic publishing and implementation process.

International AIDS Conference, 2006
FNIHB is supporting the development of a one-day International Indigenous Peoples Conference through a contribution agreement with 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, a Toronto-based Aboriginal AIDS service organization. This event is being developed by an international committee with representation from the US, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, and of course, Canada. The conference will draw hundreds of Indigenous people from North and Central America, as well as the South Pacific hemisphere. It is the first such comprehensive event to take place in conjunction with an International AIDS Conference, to be held in Toronto, in August, 2006.

For more information, please contact Ron Clarke at: ron_clarke@hc-sc.gc.ca .

National Funds

National HIV/AIDS Grants and Contributions Funding Programs under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada is re-aligning its national HIV/AIDS grants and contributions (G&C) funding programs administered by the HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division (HIV/AIDS Division).

The re-alignment is based on recommendations from a national program review that was completed in the Spring of 2005. The purpose of the review was to assess whether PHAC national HIV/AIDS G&C funding was appropriately positioned to best contribute to the new goals and policy directions of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (Federal Initiative). The review included a file review of national projects and consultations with key stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, professional associations, provinces and territories, other federal departments, and other divisions within PHAC.

Five National HIV/AIDS G&C Funds

The re-alignment will see the number of PHAC national HIV/AIDS funds reduced from seven under the former Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS to five (see table below).
A further aspect of the new funds is that there will be a significant focus on outcomes. Strategic outcomes are being developed for each fund in alignment with the overall outcomes of the Federal Initiative. Each fund will then support specific activities and outputs that will contribute to the achievement of fund outcomes.

Upcoming Requests For Proposals

The HIV/AIDS Division will be releasing competitive requests for proposals (RFP) for each of the new funds starting this Fall.

All solicitations will be released on the PHAC HIV/AIDS web site . Please check the web site regularly for updates.

For more information on national HIV/AIDS funding, please contact Neil Burke at: neil_burke@phac-aspc.gc.ca .

Reports

UNGASS Report 2006: Canada's Response to HIV/AIDS: Process

As a follow-up to signing the United Nation's Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, Canada has been submitting biannual reports on the domestic implementation of the Declaration to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS. The Public Health Agency of Canada, HIV AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division is responsible for preparing the 2005 report that will submitted to the United Nations in March of 2006.

This is the second time that countries will be reporting using the set of indicators developed by the United Nations that formed the outline of the 2003 report. Canada will be reporting against the core indicators, covering national commitment and action, national program and behaviour, and impact. In this process, PHAC will be trying to present a broad picture of the Canadian response, both at the federal, provincial and territorial levels. PHAC will also try to identify consistencies and coherence with the Federal Initiative and Leading Together: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS reporting processes. Where possible, we will use information provided by partners in the development of the World AIDS Day report to feed into the drafting of the UNGASS report.

A federal government Project Team, including representation from key departments, has been established to provide detailed advice and input into the drafting of the report.

For more information, please contact: Tanya Lary at: tanya_lary@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

World AIDS Day Report

World AIDS Day is December 1. Each December, we wear a red ribbon in honour of those who are fighting the battle against HIV/AIDS, and to commemorate those who are no longer with us.

This year, the theme for World AIDS Day is “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”

Each December 1, Canada's Report on HIV/AIDS is released, reporting on how the money under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada was spent over the past year.

Work on the Report is progressing steadily. A final draft has been developed, thanks to the collaboration and input of all Federal Initiative partners and stakeholders, as well as that of this year's Editorial Board. This year's report differs from past reports quite significantly, the main change being the reporting structure. This year's report contains three main sections, devoted to government collaboration, vulnerable populations, and strengthening the foundation.

The last draft has been finalized through the review process, and the design process is currently underway. For more information, please contact Shannon Brunton at: shannon_brunton@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Leading Together (2005 - 2010)

Leading Together is nearing its final form. Changes have been made to make some of the evidence-based statements more clear and the document more reader-friendly. The first translation into French is completed and is being reviewed. A copy edit has been completed. Graphic design and printing are being organised and publication is anticipated shortly. It is anticipated that Leading Together will be released at the 5th Canadian AIDS Society Skills Building Symposium, being held October 27-30 in Montreal.

The "interim group," which includes people from community, government and science has met twice. They are drafting a Terms of Reference for the eventual Championing Group which will oversee the future of Leading Together

A session on Leading Together will be held at the Skills Building Symposium.

For more information, please contact Fernand Comeau at fernand_comeau@phac-aspc.gc.ca .

Social Marketing Campaign

In September, an Expert Panel convened for one day to review, validate and identify knowledge gaps of proposed target audiences and tactics for the social marketing strategy. The strategy will be consulted with leading stakeholders before its implementation in April, 2006.

Background

The Public Health Agency of Canada coordinates the comprehensive and integrated Government of Canada response to HIV/AIDS, as outlined in the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. One of the five areas for increased federal action is national and front-line communications and social marketing activities to improve Canadians' knowledge of HIV, to address community and societal attitudes, and to reduce the stigma and discrimination that fuel the epidemic. The new resources allocated to communication and social marketing activities are increasing incrementally beginning in 2005-06 for a total by 2008-09 of $4-million new and current resources to be invested annually.

For more information, please contact Patti Murphy:
patti_murphy@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Miscellaneous  

Ministerial Council

Among the issues raised by the Ministerial Council recently, is the importance of making progress in addressing HIV/AIDS in prisons, including the introduction of a needle exchange program. CSC will be meeting with Council at their next meeting in October, here in Ottawa. On the issue of HIV screening for pregnant women, the Ministerial Council expressed its concern about the position adopted by the Canadian Medical Association that all pregnant women should be routinely tested for HIV, and strongly recommended to the Minister that testing should be optional in all provinces, based on informed consent following pre-test counselling. The Ministerial Council also supported a renewed emphasis on HIV prevention and care for gay men, called for better education in schools on sexual health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and raised concerns related to the HIV testing of potential immigrants during meetings with officials of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Through discussions with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the local host for the International AIDS Conference in Toronto and Ministerial Council, visa forms for visitors entering the country have now been revised to prevent respondents from disclosing their status unnecessarily.

For more information, please contact Nina Elkin at:
nina_elkin@phac-aspc.gc.ca .

PHAC Regional Offices

Update from the PHAC Regional Offices and the PHAC Regional HIV/AIDS Network (RHAN)

AIDS Community Action Program (ACAP) is one of the regionally specific components of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS. ACAP is a funding program that provides support to local, regional, and provincial/territorial community-based organizations addressing HIV/AIDS issues across Canada. ACAP is managed by the seven regional offices of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC): Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba/Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northern Secretariat (Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut).

The PHAC Regional HIV/AIDS Network (RHAN), composed of ACAP program staff across the country, is currently undertaking three essential and complementary pieces of work, expected to be completed by March 31, 2006: ACAP National Evaluation, Regional HIV Resource Allocation and an ACAP Program Review.

ACAP National Evaluation: At the launch of the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS (CSHA), there was a process put in place to develop a national ACAP evaluation. Unfortunately due to a number of challenges the process was not successful, resulting in a number of separate regional and provincial ACAP evaluations across the country. While these evaluations have provided useful information about ACAP funded initiatives in a particular province or region, they have not produced a national picture of accomplishment and lessons learned. Under the Federal Initiative, a national evaluation framework is being developed which will allow PHAC to measure the progress of ACAP funded initiatives in achieving the planned outcomes of the Federal Initiative.

To reduce the burden of response for community-based groups, the national ACAP evaluation is being coordinated with other evaluation work underway, and will develop common outcomes and indicators across several programs supported by PHAC, as well as with provincial and regional evaluations. A tool will be created and launched in the fall of 2006 to collect common information across four PHAC funded programs, including ACAP. Following this, additional questions specific to ACAP will be added to this tool. A process for community validation and involvement in these evaluations/activities will be developed.

Regional HIV Resource Allocation: In January, 2005, the government of Canada announced the creation of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (Federal Initiative), which replaced the CSHA. Funding to the Federal Initiative will increase from the original $42.2 million per year to $84.4 million per year by 2008/09. The last review of the distribution of regional resources was carried out in 1998-1999 with the National AIDS Strategy Phase II. Given the limitations identified with that process and the availability of better data, the allocation model used is being reviewed and updated to ensure the allocation of this cycle of funding is based on the best available evidence. This includes epidemiological and surveillance data on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted infections, population-based indicators for those populations most at risk of HIV/AIDS, and other factors that capture the regional uniqueness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Canada. The new allocation formula will come into effect on April 1, 2006.

ACAP Program Review: A program review of ACAP will be undertaken this fall. The purpose of the review is to assess the degree to which ACAP is aligned with the policy directions and outcomes of the Federal Initiative and to ensure that PHAC's future investments in community based HIV/AIDS work across the seven regions are contributing to a strong and evolving pan-Canadian response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

All of the three RHAN-led initiatives are being undertaken this time to ensure ACAP will make a substantial contribution to achieving the outcomes of the Federal Initiative. PHAC will seek and consider consultative advice from key stakeholders from within and outside of the federal government, from different sectors and from regions across the country, on these pieces of work. Consultation frameworks and data collection tools are currently in development.

For more information on these processes contact your regional Program Consultant.

Tripartite study

Australia, Canada And New Zealand Come Together To Research Aboriginal Health

The Public Health Agency of Canada has joined with academic and community researchers in Australia, Canada and New Zealand for a collaborative research project to improve the health of Aboriginal persons. Under the auspices of a trilateral agreement signed in 2002 between the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and New Zealand = s Health Research Council (HRC), the three countries will support complementary research to try to improve the health of Aboriginal people in each of the three countries.

Under the program, the University of New South Wales will lead the five-year collaborative program and work with scientists in Canada and New Zealand to investigate prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis C in Aboriginal communities.

The Canadian team is led by Dr. Neil Andersson of the Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environment Centre at the University of Ottawa with co-investigators from the University of Ottawa (Bev Shea, George Sioui), the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (Kevin Barlow, Randy Jackson) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (Drs. Chris Archibald and Tom Wong). This project will also provide opportunities for Aboriginal researchers in the three countries to develop and enhance research skills in this area and allow the affected communities to share their knowledge and experience.

For more information, please contact Chris Archibald at: chris_archibald@phac.aspc.gc.ca .