Earth Day  Madam Speaker, today being Earth Day, I would like to salute those who care for the earth, who sow, who reap and who earn their living off the land. Farmers play a crucial role in occupying and protecting our territory and in ensuring the ecological future of our regions. Our land has green potential, and the federal government has to help realize that potential.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. He spoke in concrete terms about the War Measures Act. In the current situation, does he not think that we could pay attention, learn from what has happened and take quicker action in three areas, namely, border management, for example when a variant appears in a country, investment in research for the future, so we do not have to again depend on foreign vaccines, and increases to health transfers, when the provinces are faced with exponentially huge expenses?

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague on the tone of his speech, which I agree is the right one to use. However, heaven knows that we could point fingers. I would like my colleague to talk more about the importance of focusing on research and development so that we do not end up trailing behind other countries.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I was interested to hear my colleague talk about the government's incompetence on many levels in managing the crisis, including border security in the early days. The measures were excruciatingly slow in coming, which allowed the virus to come into the country permanently.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, it is certainly important that the member understand the question because it is directed at him. I will start over. I appreciated my colleague's speech in which he spoke about the different signs of the government's incompetence in managing this crisis. Remember that, at the outset, the government waited a long time before closing the border, then implementing restrictions, and then reacting to the variants.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Health where we are at with the test that temporary workers are supposed to get on day 10 of their mandatory quarantine. We have asked a lot of questions about this in recent days. This evening we are having an emergency debate on the management of the pandemic, and I think this issue is a big part of that.

Income Tax Act  Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to Bill C-208, which would significantly help businesses in Quebec and Canada with succession planning. I once again want to congratulate my colleague from Brandon—Souris for introducing this bill. The Bloc Québécois considers succession planning to be essential to agriculture and all other sectors.

Income Tax Act  Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on his excellent speech and, most importantly, on his excellent bill. I also thank him for approaching me right after this bill was introduced and for giving me the opportunity to endorse this bill on behalf of the Bloc Québécois.

The Budget  Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague how she feels about the government tabling a budget like this, which fails to keep many of its promises. I am thinking in particular about the next generation of farmers. The government has been promising to help this sector since 2019.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, the budget does not jibe with the government's commitments to the agricultural community or its needs. When someone goes on and on about food sovereignty at some point they have to stop talking and start doing something about it. Succession planning is crucial to the health of the agricultural sector.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the interpretation is not working.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, Switch Health's screw-up with day-10 tests remains unresolved. Despite a slight increase in staffing levels, the company is still not keeping up with demand and is still unable to provide our producers with services in French. That is unacceptable. These are practical people.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, a farmer from Saint-Thomas, Mr. Rondeau, lost 35,000 pounds of asparagus last year because of federal mismanagement issues related to seasonal work. He was really hoping to make up for it this year. Unfortunately, the testing boondoggle left him without his first group of workers for 18 days, when the asparagus season lasts for only about 60 days.

Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her speech. What our Conservative colleague said is true. This bill does not seem to apply to the government. I have another question. There is another flaw with respect to the identification of individuals. There is nothing in the bill to force banks, for example, to institute a strict policy for the identification of individuals, nor is there any kind of fine system that would compel them to do so.

Employment Insurance Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on her thoughtful and passionate speech about a bill that will correct a grave injustice. I would like her to tell us about the choices available to workers. In her earlier remarks, she said that the limited sickness benefit period could force a person who is still recovering to go back to work.