Hon. René Cormier: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, currently in Canada, male blood donors who report having had sex with one or more other men in the past three months cannot donate blood.

This practice, which contributes to the stigma attached to HIV, is outdated, since it is clear that sexual behaviour, not a person’s sexual orientation, is what determines the level of risk of HIV transmission.

With that in mind, on December 15, 2021, Canadian Blood Services made a submission to Health Canada recommending a new approach to screen all donors for high-risk sexual behaviour that would replace the current practice of a three-month donor deferral period for all sexually active men who have sex with men.

The department’s target for the review of this submission was 90 days, so in theory, around March 15. However, we still have not received Health Canada’s decision.

Senator Gold, when can we expect Health Canada to announce its decision regarding this submission from Canadian Blood Services?

I understand that the actual review time may vary, depending on the completeness of the data provided and discussions with the organization, but please explain why the review of this submission is taking longer than the planned 90-day time frame.

Hon. René Cormier: Senator Gold, last week Reuters News Agency reported that bombing in Ukraine has led to the closure of many clinics specializing in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and that the distribution of antiretroviral drugs is at risk.

My question for you is the following. What kind of assistance for health care is the Government of Canada providing to the Ukrainian people at this time, and how is it helping to ensure that Ukrainians with HIV/AIDS can continue their treatment?