Women are now the fastest-growing section of the community to have contracted the HIV virus in Ottawa.

Mr. William MacDonald, communications co-ordinator for the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, who has been vacationing in Bermuda, says that, as a result, many more children are being born with HIV.

"One of our catch-lines in Ottawa was `The Changing Face of AIDS', but now the disease is expanding so rapidly into the general community, we have changed it to `The Expanding Face of AIDS'.'' To emphasise that reality, Mr. MacDonald, who also heads fund-raising activities for the Committee, has named the current project "From All Walks of Life''.

In some respects, he says, the AIDS situation in Ottawa has improved in that people with the AIDS virus are now, because of improved care and medication, living for an average of 11 years. This, however, tends to mask the fact that AIDS is on the increase.

"In Ottawa, out of a population of about 900,000, the official statistics report 1,300 who are HIV-infected. But I would triple that figure because a lot of people don't get tested and are walking around without any idea that they have HIV. This is in spite of the fact that in Ottawa you don't have to give a name -- and can get the result in a week. The danger right now is that when AIDS first erupted, everyone was frightened. That's no longer the case.

People have become complacent at the very time it's going into the general community.'' There are now worrying indications, says Mr. MacDonald, that there are different modes of transmitting the virus.

"In the beginning, they said that as long as you practised `safe sex' it was okay. Now there is a caution that condoms should be used for all sex. America doesn't seem to recognise this and I would have to say that the Americans are not moving forward in educating the public as fast as Canada and Europe.'' Noting that he has had little opportunity to study the AIDS education programme here, Mr. MacDonald does admit to surprise -- and disappointment -- at a recent Government public announcement which he saw on TV here on sexually transmitted diseases and the use of condoms: "It didn't even mention AIDS -- the only one that's fatal!'' The main function of his Committee is to spread awareness of the disease and to improve the level of support. "When I say support, that includes not just people who are infected, but those who are affected -- partners and children.

We have a good network of support groups in Ottawa.'' With a staff of 12, the Committee can call upon 200 volunteers.

"Everyone thinks our organisation is a `gay' group, but it's not! To this day, of course, people tend to think that AIDS is a `gay' disease, so people come to us with this pre-conceived idea that everyone who works there is gay.

For instance, there was a man who ran a real estate business who wanted to send, through us, a percentage of his profits to gay organisations, but I had to set him straight because our job is to serve the entire community -- not just the gay part! At the same time, of course, I would have to say that we should never forget that it was the gay movement who formed the first AIDS support organisations. For a long time now, and as the face of AIDS has changed, we have been reaching out to a much broader community.'' Among his volunteers, Mr. MacDonald says there are mothers, daughters and aunts: "Our youngest volunteer is 15 years old and our oldest is a lady who helps me and she's in her 70s.'' Bill MacDonald's work for the AIDS movement began by accident. He obtained his first degree in art history from Queen's University and a masters in administration from Concordia in Montreal.

"I think I was always concerned because I think it is the number one health issue that we have to face right now. I was doing an internship in museum administration in Ottawa and it was largely through boredom that I decided to volunteer as a counsellor and work at the `drop-in' centre where people with AIDS can go to a coffee, watch TV or just sit.'' Asked to fill in as a staff member on a short-term basis, he has been there ever since.

"I love this work because it is so rewarding. People who work in this field don't do it for money or prestige -- just the feeling that you have done something to try and combat this terrible disease.'' Mr. MacDonald, who spends much of his time liaising with government, is not impressed by the overall commitment, in most countries, to the problem.

"They have been slack and even now, don't seem to grasp the urgency of the situation. So many young men between the ages of 18 and 35 are affected. And now, although the women tend to be a bit older, they, too, are succumbing to the disease. The women who are contracting this disease are those whose partners are either bi-sexual or drug users. Many women don't realise that there is a whole group of men out there who would never admit to being gay, and probably don't even consider themselves as gay, but who go off and have casual sex with other men in places like bath-houses or even in parks!'' In spite of the general public's reluctance to accept that they are at risk, Mr. MacDonald believes that society is slowly becoming a more open one.

"We are now a global village. People are talking far more about breast cancer, for instance, or Alzheimer's. There is still more denial about AIDS because it is a sexually transmitted disease and people are still uncomfortable about that. We need to be much more open, and make sure that children are better educated on AIDS.'' Admitting that the nature of his job exposes him to tragic situations, Mr.

MacDonald says that he is careful to keep his work and emotions carefully separated. "Otherwise, people do burn out. In Ottawa, we have four people currently on long-term disability -- not from AIDS, but from stress in trying to deal with it. As long as you are able to maintain a certain distance from the problems encountered at work, this is a very rewarding job.'' GRIM WARNING -- Activists Mr. William MacDonald