AIDS awareness important to First Nations support group

Margaret Poitras of All Nations Hope, an agency that represents and supports aboriginal people with HIV/AIDS, says there is much to be done to raise awareness.

Monday is World AIDS Day and the beginning of Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week. Aboriginal people have higher rates of HIV/AIDS in Saskatchewan.

"We want zero new infections, zero new discrimination," Poitras said Monday during a conference. "I think when we talk about HIV and AIDS we're talking about the stigma, ignorance, and discrimination that exists in this province — and also racism. [That's] a word that nobody likes to use in this province, but still we have to look at what is happening with our indigenous people."

The conference included details on new strategies for education, prevention, and awareness of HIV/AIDS.

"It's time to bring life to the people and stop the cycles for indigenous people and we need help and that's what this strategy is talking about," Poitras added, "to partner with what exists and to teach them to look through our lens as indigenous people to help us."

A number of awareness events scheduled across Canada this week.