1 TH AN ‘ D BA fea ‘ ‘ Me NEWS photo Nell Lucente “PHOTO FINISH: Carson Graham sécondary student Paris Jackson displays perfect form at the end of one race heat during the rec Vancouver Senior Secondary. | Ey E RY ia ent North Shore Track and Field meet at West . pay R ON nn ait ORTH SHORE SINCE 1969 WEST VANCOUVER TOP DESIGNERS A New York preview of American designer collections for fall ‘94, Classifieds 986-6222 MOM’S DAY Some of our readers tell us why they have mothers who are like no others. Distribution 986-1337 25¢ Vancouver AIDS conference a safety risk, local MPs say THE REFORM party must become better-informed on the subject of HIV and AIDS if it is going to take public positions against those infect- ed with the diseases, say members of the AIDS sup- port community, By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter Kathryn Eggert of the Persons With Aids Society of B.C. and Rick Marchand of AIDS Vancouver responded to a demand made by Reform MP Art Hanger earlier this week that Immigration Minister Sergio Marchi axe a federally-fund- ed international AIDS conference scheduled for Vancouver in 1996. Hanger complained that the gov- ernment intends to subsidize 500 non-Canadiany with HIV who plan to attend the conference. He said the conference poses a health and safety risk to Canadians. Local Reform MPs Ted White (North Vancouver) and Herb Grubel (Capilano-Howe Sound) agree. Grubel and White say it’s pre- posterous that the federal govern- ment has invited such a large group of HIV-positive visitors into Canada, “The government is deliberately violating the law... (which says that) people with communicable, conta- gious and infectious diseases cannot be admitted to Canada,”, said Grubel. He said no doctor’ could .State conciusively that AIDS is only ‘contracted through sexual activity. “The Ministry of Health is actu- ally going to spend $1 million to bring 500 AIDS-infected people from developing countries to share their experiences,” said White. “They're not even scientific people. They're ordinary people infected with AIDS.” But Eggert describes the Reform MPs" statements as “archaic” and “discriminatory.” HIV is only contracted through unsafe sex, said Eggert, so delegates do not pose a health risk to the pub- fic at large. “L think that the Reform Party needs to get some expert advice on HIV and AIDS because they're nol properly informed,” said Marchand. “People who are attending this conference generally have a profes- sional interest in AIDS,” Eggert _ said. “They're not coming to infect other people, they’re coming because they’re advocates...” But White said most of the visi- tors will be from developing coun- tries and will not have medical insurance. “We're all adults here, we know what’s going to happen,” White continued. “A bunch of them will claim refugee status.” He said the refugees wouid then become a burden on Canada’s med- ical system. _But Marchand disputes this. “That’s looking at people in a very suspicious way,” he said. “We haven’t seen that happen at other international AIDS conferences.” Marchand points out that people with HIV and AIDS usually wish to live with their familiar support group and continue working with their “care team” rather than starting afresh in a new country. Eggert said a limited number of delegates from developing countries will be able to afford to attend the conference. And, she said, the issues of immigration and the event are not related. Eggert said that there will be scientists and researchers from See AIDS page & index & Business sesesssenssstniesseae RD BB Classified oo sassssssseecsssseee @ Cocktails & Caviar...........- 35 BE COMICS -annnrsnnneanneen BB Crossword 47 BB Fashion... IS HOrOSCOpES.......seseessserene BO Lifestyles... cess TIVE ci secsssreesesseeeeeeeene dD BB Vintage Years. 34 Weather Monday, cloudy with sunny periods. High 16°C, low 7'C. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238