Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My question is for the officials from Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Citizenship and Immigration.
During a pandemic, health relies on food safety. Right now, our agricultural producers are under enormous pressure, as they have to decide whether or not to go ahead with production this year. Some are reluctant to do so because of all the risks involved. If they decide not to produce, it would be quite catastrophic.
My question is twofold. First, the administrative process for foreign workers is cumbersome. Why not issue visas valid for more than a year to facilitate the process and get people into the fields faster?
Second, what do you plan to do and when are you going to announce an AgriStability program that addresses the crisis we're facing and encourage farmers to move forward and produce rather than to skip a year of production?