HARPER TO SKIP AIDS CONFERENCE

Decision Dismays Organizers Of Toronto Event

Bad Message To World, Meeting Co-Chair Says

International AIDS conference officials expressed dismay this week
after receiving official word that Prime Minister Stephen Harper
would not be attending the attendance record-breaking Toronto summit
next month.

Saying it sends a bad message to the world about Canada's commitment
to fighting the disease, officials hoped Harper would yet change his
mind at the 11th hour.

"It will send a signal that this government perhaps is not fully
committed to the fight against HIV and AIDS," Dr. Mark Wainberg,
co-chair of the 16th International AIDS Conference, said of Harper's absence.

"HIV/AIDS kills 5,000 people a day, compare that with any current war
taking place as an example."

Wainberg says conference officials fear Harper's absence might
discourage other heads of state or high-profile guests from attending
the Aug.13-18 conference.

While it had been widely reported Harper would skip what is expected
to be the largest gathering of AIDS experts in history, his office
officially replied to the invitation on Monday, said Darryl Perry,
executive director of the AIDS 2006 Toronto Local Host Secretariat.

Governor General Michaelle Jean will open the conference Sunday, Aug.
13 at a gala ceremony attended by international dignitaries and
capped by a star-studded rock concert.

Among the guests will be Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, who will
give the keynote speech, and his wife Melinda, former U.S. president
Bill Clinton and actor Richard Gere.

Wainberg said Harper could have satisfied organizers by simply
showing up and welcoming delegates at the opening event.

"All we would want would be for him to be at the opening ceremony and
to say how committed Canada continues to be in the fight against
AIDS," he said.

Dimitri Soudas, a spokesperson with the Prime Minister's Office, said
Harper "gets thousands of invitations and he can't attend all the
events he's invited to."

Soudas says Ottawa will instead be represented by Health Minister
Tony Clement and International Co-operation Minister Josee Verner.

Conference organizers expect some 25,000 people will be attending the
meeting, roughly 9,000 more than the last two international AIDS
conferences -- Bangkok in 2004 and Barcelona in 2002.