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AIDS group incident still under investigation Print E-mail
Written by SCOTT STANFIELD
Citizen staff   
Wednesday, 09 April 2008
IN STORY

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The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority said Wednesday it is still investigating an incident at the Prince George Airport, where a security guard apparently ordered a plane to be wiped down after members of an HIV/AIDS support agency got off.
The group from Positive Living North was delayed about 40 minutes due to a security guard's alleged concerns about "diseases."
"We want a detailed report of what happened, and this will dictate our actions towards this individual," CATSA spokesman Mathieu Larocque said. "I understand there were talks between Garda and the Positive Living North group, and the group will give what we can call sensitivity training to the screening officers of the Prince George Airport. I think they are finalizing the details. This is one step."
The guard, an employee at Garda of Canada, which is contracted by CATSA, allegedly recognized one of the members and asked for a wipe-down of the aircraft after the 10-person group had disembarked in Vancouver, where they attended a conference.
Some of the members are considering filing a human rights complaint.
Garda World Security, which only became aware of the March 28 incident Monday, has said it is also looking into the situation.
The sensitivity training will take place May 8, according to PLN co-executive director Catherine Baylis.
"A public apology would be nice, but I know that we can't demand one," Baylis said. "My suggestion is that if the fellow who made the wrong decision acknowledges that he made a wrong decision, and that it was based on lack of information, then he could say 'I've since learned that I made a wrong decision, and these things won't ever happen again.'"
Baylis said PLN often runs into misinformed people.
"They're ignorant, really, around the realities of HIV, but nothing of this scale, not with a whole group of people like that," she said. "One of the good things that can come out of this is education and more awareness, but it is very unfortunate that it happened on the backs of those who are already oppressed."

Comments (4)add
So what?
written by Nalynd , April 10, 2008 (12:29:57 PM)
He asked for the plane to be wiped down.... this is news? I think that the report should be on how ridiculous it is that these people are upset.... now thats news! Unless he said something directly to them whats the big deal?
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Half a Story
written by D.K. Ross , April 10, 2008 (05:41:11 PM)
According to my sources, the alleged AIDS carrier was half in the bag before boarding their flight. In fact, it appeared that some of the group were three sheets to the wind. In my opinion, AIDS or no AIDS, these folks should not have been allowed on the plane in the first place. That being said, I would rather have my seats wiped down than risk a communicable disease for which there is no cure. The dude was doing his job.
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misinformed my a**
written by krisb , April 11, 2008 (04:08:11 PM)
'Baylis said PLN often runs into misinformed people.
"They're ignorant, really, around the realities of HIV, but nothing of this scale, not with a whole group of people like that,"'

Excuse me. The bottom line is that HIV is a disease that leads to a rather unpleasant death, has no cure, and is most often spread by choice of contact.

That's not ignorance -- that's repulsion. If you have HIV and you're not part of the drug or promiscuous gay communities, my apologies. However, if you are part of those communities, you chose this disease, and I have no interest in coming into physical contact with that.
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People make me sick
written by Pumilio , April 11, 2008 (09:38:06 PM)
"AIDS (a result of HIV infection) is caused by a virus (HIV) that spreads through sex -- vaginal, oral or anal -- and blood-to-blood contact with people who have HIV. HIV can also be spread from a mother with HIV to her baby during pregnancy or through breast feeding. The body fluids that transmit HIV are blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and other body fluids containing blood. HIV cannot spread from person to person by casual everyday contact" - American Red Cross
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