The OAN sent out questions to the top three parties of the Canadian Federal Election regarding HIV issues. Of the three parties, only the NDP responded. You can download their reply here, or read below. Bruce Rankin, Co-Chair Precious Maseko, Co-Chair Ontario AIDS Network 296 Jarvis Street, Unit 5 Toronto, ON M5B 2C5 c/o Paul Lapierre, Executive Director ed@ontarioaidsnetwork.on.ca   Dear Co-Chairs Maseko and Rankin, Thank you for your letter of September 14, 2015 regarding the future of Canada’s HIV/AIDS Strategy. We appreciate the opportunity to provide our position on key aspects of this important issue. The New Democratic Party’s

When: October 27th 2015 Where: The 519 Community Centre, 1st floor (519 Church Street) 6:30pm-9pm Come for snacks, meet some great people, network and hear what’s been happening at PASAN For more information call 416-920-9567 or toll free @ 1-866-224-9978 Download and Share the flyer here

Living with HIV? What information do you need? CATIE is Canada’s source for up-to-date, unbiased information about HIV and hepatitis C. CATIE is reaching out to people living with HIV to find out what kinds of information they need and how well CATIE is doing at meeting these needs. Start the survey now If you are living with HIV, please take a few minutes and answer the questions in an anonymous online survey. The information you provide will be used to improve CATIE’s print and online publications for you and other people living with HIV across Canada. — Vous vivez

Ontario HIV agencies, Toronto Public Health and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health have created a new website about HIV and smoking. PositiveQuitting.ca features videos, first-person stories, and links to helplines, apps, and online support groups. If you’re a smoker and living with HIV, check out the site to learn more.

Backgrounder A) The need for a federal response to HIV/AIDS is as crucial as ever. Consider: • The number of people living with HIV/AIDS continues to grow. In Ontario, 32,547 persons (26,378 males, 4,941 females and 1,228 of unknown sex) were diagnosed with HIV infection from November 1985 to December 2011. An estimated 67% of people living with HIV in Ontario know their HIV status. That means that 33% of people who have HIV do not know it. It is estimated that there are currently 27,420 people living with HIV in Ontario. • Although transmission rates of HIV in Ontario

The Board of Directors of the Ontario AIDS Network (OAN) is pleased to announce that Paul Lapierre has been selected as the new Executive Director (ED). The selection was made after an extensive search and recruitment process, which was managed by the executive recruitment firm Crawford Connect. “We are pleased to announce Paul’s appointment,” reported Board Co-Chair Stacey Mayhall. “Paul has 10 years of experience in the HIV sector in Ontario and nationally. He will bring his dynamic leadership and passion for the HIV sector to the OAN at this critical time.” Paul Lapierre is a dynamic bilingual executive who

This year the Honour Roll Banquet will be held on November 25, 2015 at Hart House (harthouse.ca) The Honour Roll acknowledges the long-term and consistent contributions of individuals or organizations that use their experiences, skills, resources and voices to champion the cause of HIV/AIDS. Recipients will have contributed to reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, promoted the empowerment of People Living with HIV/AIDS, and extended the capacity of the community movement as a major response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ontario. The Honour Roll is divided into four awards; inducting one nominee annually, for the following categories: The Person with

The Board of Directors of PASAN is pleased to announce the appointment of Janet Rowe as Executive Director. She will start on July 6th, 2015. Janet is a seasoned leader with over 13 years in senior management positions in not-for-profit agencies, and over 15 years working in the HIV/AIDS sector. She was Executive Director of Voices of Positive Women from 2001 to 2005, Coordinator of the Women’s Community Development program at the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT). More recently she was the Director of Programs and Community Services at the 519 Church Street Community Centre, from 2005 to 2013. “We’re

PENELOPE MARGARET HOLETON (nee RATHBONE)December 20, 1941 – May 8, 2015 It is with sadness that we mourn the death of Penelope Holeton, a recipient of the 1999 Ontario AIDS Network Honour Roll and 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal from the HIV/AIDS sector.  Penelope spent her lifetime dedicated to support and care for others, culminating in the founding of The Teresa Group, Canada’s first community-based charitable organization specifically serving children affected by HIV and AIDS and their families. Committed to making a difference, Penelope was a dedicated volunteer to multiple organizations, a pillar within the Anglican community, an