No policy or funding announcements were made during this week's International AIDS Conference in Toronto because some delegates made it impossible to have a "rational discussion," federal Health Minister Tony Clement said Friday.

Activists and "so-called experts" at the conference took over the dialogue, Clement said during a visit to Antigonish, N.S., where he announced the creation of a centre at St. Francis Xavier University to study the root social causes of disease. He also joked that the warm reception he received there differed greatly from his welcome in Toronto.

"That conference, in our view, was becoming a place where you couldn't have a rational discussion," Clement said.

"I think things were way over the top, at least from some of the so-called experts and people that like to have an opinion on these things."

As an example of the politicization of the conference, Clement cited South African AIDS expert Mark Heywood's call for the resignation of South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, whom he accused of promoting traditional treatments, such as lemon and garlic, instead of anti-retroviral medications.

The Conservative government has been criticized for not announcing its AIDS funding plans during the conference. Two cabinet ministers abruptly cancelled planned news conferences during the conference, which drew roughly 30,000 delegates.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who didn't attend the conference, said the conference had become "politicized." Harper spent the week visiting the North, a trip he said had been planned for months.

Clement defended the government on Friday, saying Canada had a strong presence at the conference.

"We put $6 million to fund the conference. We were present everywhere and I was there for five days out six," Clement said.

With files from The Canadian Press.