9th symposium on HIV, law and human rights

The HIV Legal Network’s Symposium on HIV, Law, and Human Rights is back for its 9th edition, and you’re invited!

Join us on Thursday, June 17, for Hitting the Mark: Ending the HIV pandemic by realizing rights for people who use drugs — a free, virtual event that will examine Canada’s current reality and what needs to be done to achieve global targets and eventually overcome this decades-long public health challenge.

Register here

12:30 – 12:40 - Welcome (Richard Elliott, Executive Director, HIV Legal Network)

Opening (Elder Valerie Nicholson)

12:40 – 12:45 - Setting the scene: Global HIV targets and strategy, gaps and barriers in Canada (Symposium overview) Richard Elliott, HIV Legal Network

12:45 – 2:15 - Decriminalization

Moderator: Richard Elliott, HIV Legal Network

Featuring:

• Federal developments: Roundtable with lawmakers
  • Member of Parliament Nathaniel Erskine-Smith
  • Member of Parliament Don Davies
  • El Jones, educator/journalist/activist, member of the Health Canada Expert Task Force on Substance Use
• Municipal and provincial developments
  • Vancouver and British Columbia – Caitlin Shane, Pivot Legal Society
  • Toronto – Councillor Joe Cressy, City of Toronto
  • Montreal – Sandhia Vadlamudy, Association des intervenants en dépendance du Québec (AIDQ)
• Civil society: Common platform — A Decriminalization agenda for Canada
  • Sandra Ka Hon Chu, HIV Legal Network
  • Garth Mullins, Crackdown podcast
• Q&A/Discussion

3:10 – 3:55 - Safe supply: Expanding models of delivery

Moderator: Corey Ranger, AVI Health and Community Services, HIV Legal Network Board of Directors

Featuring:

• Defending access:
  • In Alberta – Avnish Nanda, Nanda & Company
• Expanding access:
  • Consumer perspective – Shanell Twan, Alberta Addicts Who Educate and Advocate Responsibly (AAWEAR), Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs (CAPUD)
  • Prescriber perspective – Andrea Sereda, London InterCommunity Health Centre
  • Innovative delivery – MySafe Project video and remarks from Mark Tyndall
• Q&A/Discussion

3:55 – 4:00 - Thank you and wrap up (Richard Elliott, HIV Legal Network)

Closing (Elder Valerie Nicholson)