QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Justice
HIV Non-Disclosure
October 5, 2022
Good afternoon, minister. On the occasion of the 2022 International AIDS Conference held in Montreal in July, you announced that the government would launch consultations in October on the criminal justice response to the non-disclosure of HIV. Over the past five years, two extensive national consultations have been held on this topic. The most recent statement of principle to come out of these consultations, which was signed by 90 organizations, is patently clear on what needs to be done.
Minister, don’t you already have the information you need to make this criminal justice reform with respect to HIV non‑disclosure? What is the timeline for this consultation and when does your government plan to introduce a bill on this?
Thank you, senator, for your question. Obviously, I share your dedication to the cause. As for the timeline, it will be as soon as possible. The consultations will seek to determine what should be done. A parliamentary committee studied precisely that, but its answer was not necessarily well received by experts in the community. Understandably, we would simply like to ask the experts what they think of the committee’s report and what we should do to avoid unintended consequences. It is a final update, if you will. I know it will take a little bit longer, but the consultations will be done in partnership with the expert community.
