Day of Action Videos - We Are Not Criminals!

Jessica Whitbread of AIDS ACTION NOW and The International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) shares her experience of the criminalization of HIV non-discourse and its harmful impacts on people living with HIV.

Angela Robertson of the Women’s College Hospital and the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) talks about the negative and disproportionate impact of the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure on women and racialized communities.

Dr. Mona Lufty shares the science behind HIV transmission among sero-discordant couples (where one person has HIV and the other doesn’t). Mona tells us that HIV transmission is almost negligible when HIV-positive people are on AVRs and have viral suppression.

Cynthia Fromstein is a criminal defense lawyer who has defended people living with HIV in cases where HIV non-disclosure has been criminalized. She will be attending the Supreme Court deliberations in Ottawa later this week.

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Toronto Day of Action! Update

On February 6th, join AIDS ACTION NOW! and our allies as we stand to stop the further criminalization of those living with HIV.

Where: Church of the Holy Trinity, 483 Bay Street, Toronto
When: Monday, 6 February at 5:30 pm
What: Calls to Action, March to Old City Hall & Street Theatre

MCs: Tim McCaskell & Jordan Bond-Garr of AIDS ACTION NOW! Steering Committee

Speakers:
Angela Robertson, Chair Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP)
Dr. Mona Loutfy, Women’s College Hospital and University of Toronto
Cynthia Fromstein, LLB, Criminal Defense Lawyer
Jessica Whitbread, AIDS ACTION NOW! & International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW)
Alex McClelland, AIDS ACTION NOW! Steering Committee

With Our Lady of (in)justice who will lead a procession up Bay St. to the front of old City Hall starting at 6:30.

Facebook event page

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We Are Not Criminals - National Day of Action Update!

Toronto Day of Action to Oppose the Criminalization of HIV

On February 8, the Supreme Court of Canada will hear two landmark cases about HIV, sex and the criminal law.

Stand for justice! Oppose the criminalization of HIV.

Make your voice heard.

Join the National Day of Action.

Where: Church of the Holy Trinity, 483 Bay Street, Toronto
When: Monday, 6 February at 5:30 pm
What: Calls to Action, March to Old City Hall & Street Theatre

It is time to stop persecuting people living with HIV who have safe and consensual sex. The criminal law should only be used where a person puts another person at a real risk of harm.

Fight silence, ignorance & prejudice. Learn about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Let’s all take control of our health.

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We Are Not Criminals : National Days of Action Against the Criminalization of HIV

The impending Supreme Court Decision on February 8th threatens to criminalize those living with HIV and condemn them to a life in fear of potential incarceration. We must not let this happen. Join us in support of the National Days of Action Against the Criminalization of HIV on February 6th and 7th to demand an end to the persecution and prosecution of those living with HIV.

AIDS ACTION NOW!, in conjunction with various other organizations across the country, will be organizing actions to call attention to the draconian measure of making those living with HIV/AIDS into criminals, and setting back preventative measures decades by creating even more stigma and shame around the disease.

In Toronto on February 6th, we will be organizing an evening for justice, starting at 5:30 (details on location TBD). We will have several guest speakers, representing various perspectives on the issue ; afterwards, we will be taking the message to the streets! Lead by a blind Lady Justice, her scales tipped out of balance, we will be marching with a chain gang of “prisoners”, each one representing a contractable disease that could be prosecuted should criminalization become law, and the science of “significant risk” be ignored in favour of ignorance. Our march will take us to the doors of Old City Hall, now the courthouse, where those facing charges would first arrive if criminalization were to become reality.

Criminalization represents a significant step backwards for those living with HIV/AIDS and for Canadians in general. It cannot be allowed to become reality. Stay tuned for more details, and mark your calendars for February 6th to help send a clear message to the Supreme Court - “WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS”!

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Final Budget Showdown! January 17th @ City Hall

On January 17th-19th, City Council will vote on the 2012 budget. Ford and his buddies want to cut nearly $90 million in services, even though the city has a surplus of at least $140 million. They plan to slash services, hike fares and user fees, and lockout or layoff workers when there is actually enough money to improve life in this city. AIDS organizations, funded by the Community Partnership and Investment Program, are also under attack. These are organizations which help prevent new infections and support those living with HIV/AIDS and Hep C.

Toronto Stop the Cuts has been organizing in neighbourhoods across the city to build powerful resistance against Ford and his cuts. AIDS ACTION NOW! is a endorsing organization of Toronto Stop the Cuts. On January 17th, we are all coming together for a Final Budget Showdown - a rally and actions to oppose the cuts and demand an expansion of city services for all! We encourage AIDS ACTION NOW! members to come out and make their voices heard in solidarity against these cuts.

Join us - together we can Stop the Cuts!

Organized by Toronto Stop the Cuts Network which consists of:

Etobicoke North Stop the Cuts Committee: tostopthecuts@gmail.com
North York Stop the Cuts Committee: northyork.stopthecuts@gmail.com.
Trinity/Spadina Stop the Cuts Committee: trinity.spadina.stopthecuts@gmail.com
Parkdale Stop the Cuts Committee: parkdalestc@gmail.com
Downtown East Stop the Cuts Committee: TorontoDTE@gmail.com
Jane/Finch: janefinchactionagainstpoverty@gmail.com
St. Clair West Stop the Cuts Committee: stclair.stopthecuts@gmail.com
Riverdale/Leslieville Stop the Cuts Committee: eastendersps@gmail.com
Davenport/Perth Stop the Cuts Committee: davenport.stopthecuts@gmail.com
Beaches Stop the Cuts Committee: beaches.stopthecuts@gmail.com
Etobicoke South Stop the Cuts Committee: tostopthecuts@gmail.com

To endorse, email tostopthecuts@gmail.com

Learn more about the cuts: http://www.torontostopthecuts.com/2012-budget-cuts-and-whats-at-stake/

More info:
www.torontostopthecuts.com
www.facebook.com/stopthecuts
www.twitter.com/tostopthecuts
tostopthecuts@gmail.com

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