Finance committee  I believe the question was what more could be done in regard to tax. What are the more complicated things we face in tax? Is that correct?

Finance committee  Thank you, Wayne. I'm hearing feedback. Probably what the government could do at this point in time to help farms would be.... Obviously, our big concern was this unfair intergenerational tax situation we had, which has been addressed. We now have an act. As Don has pointed out, it's no longer a bill.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Easter. It's wonderful to be here. Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to speak to you today. As Wayne said, my name is Mary Robinson. I farm on a sixth-generation family potato, soybean, barley and hay farm in Prince Edward Island. I'm also president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which is Canada's largest general farm organization, representing nearly 200,000 Canadian farm families from coast to coast to coast.

Health committee  As I said earlier, COVID has certainly highlighted for us the importance of the need for more strategic discussions on how we can address the shortages in agricultural labour. With our temporary foreign worker access, international workers have certainly been coming into this country for over half a century.

Health committee  Mrs. Jansen, it's nice to know that you're a former farmer.

Health committee  No one in agriculture wants to appear ungrateful for the help that has been offered to agriculture to date. Help is help, and we will take what we can get, but we certainly would appreciate more. With regard to how we feel, well, I guess it was a Conservative government that changed the BRM suite of programs, so I probably need to say that out loud, too.

Health committee  There's a wonderful opportunity right now for a very clear message from government to our spectacular agriculture sector. We're the envy of most of the world in regard to our natural resources, as well as our farming acumen. Now is an opportunity for government to send a message to the entire Canadian food chain that investing in Canadian food production and the food value chain is a wonderful place to invest.

Health committee  Government is in the job of fixing these problems, not the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. I would instead defer to your expertise on that.

Health committee  Absolutely. We see so much stress placed on farmers because, as you would understand, it's very complex. It's a highly emotional business to be in. I'm sixth generation, and my family's been here for two hundred years, so the generation that loses it is the one that really loses it.

Health committee  I have not specifically heard of people hiring through this program. I have heard frustration and concern, in particular from smaller producers or newer entrants after announcements were made that they would be able to access the CEBA, and then there was quite a time lag between that and when the funds became available to apply for.

Health committee  That's a great question. I don't know the total amount because we continue to see market volatility. As producers we're uncertain where we're going to be able to sell and where we're not. Overall, we continue to put crops in the ground, raise animals, and hope we're going to be able to sell them.

Health committee  Again, there's a great deal of uncertainty as to what will make it to market. The surplus food purchase program is meant to divert a bunch of food from going to waste. We've seen several different components of the food supply chain trying to donate that food to make sure that it gets consumed and that we avoid waste, but the only way to answer your question will be with hindsight.

Health committee  I believe the channels are switched because I'm hearing only the French.

Health committee  Okay, the question is the same as it's been. It's difficult to forecast what the food supply is going to look like in the summer and in the fall. A great deal of the uncertainty has to do with access to labour. There's also great uncertainty with regard to how COVID is going to impact food supply chains.

Health committee  The kids are playing the games.