AIDS organization meets in Ottawa

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The Canadian Aboriginal AIDs Network will be holding its second annual general meeting, headlined Looking In, Looking Out-A Step Towards Strength and Unity June 27 to 29. It will be held at the Victoria Park Suites Hotel in Ottawa and is open to all Aboriginal people living with HIV or AIDS and all other groups interested in attending. The meeting will cover bylaw amendments and the organization's auditor's report. The meeting will also give members a chance to vote for six board of director positions.

"The reason that it is called Looking In and Looking Out is because we are looking at where we are in the organization and looking at who the disease is affecting," said Darren Greer, co-ordinator. "This meeting will be a wrap of what happened last year. It will also give the members a chance to look and plan ahead for next year or for the next two years," he said.

Ten regions making up the Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network are Yukon and the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Labrador and Atlantic Canada, which includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

"This year they've created a seat for the new territory of Nunavut. It will be the newest member of the Canadian Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Network," said Greer.

The Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network has two types of voting members. Full-time members are people who are living with HIV/AIDs and members who represent their regional organization. Each organization of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network is invited to send representatives to the meeting. Only one member from each region is eligible to vote.

"Aboriginal people living with HIV/AIDS are full-time members of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network. They get to vote. Out of the 12 seats available for the board of directors, six seats will be available. Associate members who work with AIDS organizations do not get to vote. Each regional member gets one card to vote, otherwise it would get outweighed by the size of the organizations they are from," said Greer. "About 100 people attended last year's meeting. This year we are expecting more."

Individual organizations or individuals can bring resolutions to the floor at the meeting.

"Resolutions from the floor are always important, such as in changes. The thing about an organization like this is that it has to be fluid and has to be able to address issues when they come up," said Greer. "Another reason members get together at the general meeting is to compare notes on how things are going in their regions or on a national level."

For further information call toll-free 1-888-285-2226.