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On Monday, the federal government’s COVID-19 ATM spat out 50 million dollar bills to help Canadian farmers deal with a rather pressing labour issue. Every year, roughly 45,000 temporary foreign workers arrive in Canada to do agricultural work. In theory, this year needn’t be any different. The feds have exempted such workers from the ban on foreigners entering the country. Canadians still need to eat.

In practice, of course, this year is very different — or so we hope. Temporary foreign workers are required to self-isolate for 14 days just like all other arrivals. Farmers are required to pay them during that period and, if they provide housing as a term of employment, to find accommodations suitable for self-isolation. Read: Not the cramped bunkhouses and dormitories that many temporary workers call home.

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That’s a big ask, both financially and logistically. It is reasonable to expect the vast majority of employers will behave responsibly. But it only takes one bad actor, and a bit of bad luck, to let down the whole side. And like just about every idea this government has rolled out in Phase One, this one seems quite inadequate — both in design and in dollars.