Calamity Jane Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 okay....pissed off enough with my daily news quotient to FINALLY visit the politics forum. Can't find verification anywhere on the CBC site yet, but on CBC radio this morning, it was announced that Harper is refusing to attend a HUGE AIDS conference to be held (this summer?) in TO, with over 20,000 scientists and many heads of state. went on to say that it'll be 'awkward' b/c normally the PM would be present to greet said visiting heads of state. no mention as to Harper's reasons.....can he really have his head so far up his ass as to still think AIDS is a 'gay man's disease' and he refuses to do anythign which would be seen as supporting that 'lifestyle'??? I'm so angry at this...and at the same time feeling SOOOOOO empathetic towards Stephen Lewis...all his frustration at how hard it's been to raise international awareness and force world leaders to take notice/action and our own PM is shutting it out of his agenda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggo Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 PM won't attend opening of AIDS forum in Toronto World leaders to join 20,000 researchers and activists at international gathering GLORIA GALLOWAY From Friday's Globe and MailOTTAWA — World leaders are expected to attend a major international conference on AIDS in Toronto this summer but Canada's Prime Minister will not be among them."There was an invitation sent to the Prime Minister's Office to participate in the opening, to have the Prime Minister welcome the delegates and to open the conference," Gene Long, a spokesman for the 16th annual International AIDS conference, said yesterday."Recently we've received a letter that he would not be attending," he said.This is the third time that Canada has played host to the prestigious conference that is held every two years and is expected to attract 20,000 scientists, journalists, community leaders, AIDS activists and people who are living with the disease.There are rumours, which could not be confirmed yesterday, that former U.S. president Bill Clinton and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will also be in attendance.Both men have devoted time and money to the fight against AIDS through their respective foundations.Former prime minister Brian Mulroney spoke eloquently about the effort to combat what was then an emerging threat when he addressed the 1989 meeting in Montreal.The decision by former prime minister Jean Chrétien to skip the same conference in 1996 caused Nelson Mandela, South Africa's president at the time, to pull out. Mr. Chrétien's absence was termed a national embarrassment and a signal that Canada did not believe it was important for a head of government or a head of state to be at the opening.Mr. Long said the track record of attendance by world leaders has been mixed in recent years. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra did open the conference in Bangkok in 2004 -- and was heckled for his country's treatment of poor Thais living with the disease.The president of Spain did not appear at the conference when it was held in Barcelona in 2004. But the president of South Africa was a participant at the 2000 conference in Durban.Mr. Long said that there has been no announcement yet which visiting dignitaries, VIPs and special guests will be at the Toronto conference.But there are some world leaders who will attend the conference, he said.So Mr. Harper's absence poses something of a problem, he said."There is a protocol issue when there are visiting heads of state in an official function to be greeted by the Prime Minister."Sandra Buckler, a spokeswoman for Mr. Harper, said yesterday that she was unaware that her boss had declined the invitation. But "we never confirm the Prime Minister's schedule until we get closer to an event that we're going to do," she said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 To be fair, Chrétien skipped out on this too when it was his turn. Has Harper given a reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneMtn Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 This story is a bit ambiguous at this point. For all we know, Harper is scheduled to be at some sort of international summit on something else that day.I can't really get too infuriated without knowing anything other than that our PM won't be attending this event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 ...is "HUGE Aids" some new mutated strain? sounds horrible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted June 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 I can't really get too infuriated without knowing anything other than that our PM won't be attending this event.that's okay....I'm angry enough for a buncha people. Maybe I'm just looking for something to be riled up about....I don't know.....if I need to 'eat crow' later on, I will, but I think I was in need of some Harper-hate (it'd been awhile) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneMtn Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 I think I was in need of some Harper-hate ... which I certainly support. :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazlo Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 think AIDS is a 'gay man's disease' You're a gay man's disease or atleast you've turned every man that you've ever touched gay. Poor Dave, every time I see he gets more and more effeminate. I could swear the guy's got a vagina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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