Senator MacDonald: Senator, I appreciate your serious approach to this question. I find it hard to believe that a minister of the Crown would make such a flippant remark about such an important issue.

Are you not concerned that the Government of Canada has put out such a poor communication strategy with this type of rhetoric on such an important health issue?

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Honourable senators, I have a question on the important issue of rapid testing.

In response to the Omicron variant, many provinces are rolling out rapid tests. The federal government has allocated $1.7 billion this fiscal year for those tests, but in November 2020, Minister Freeland was asked about the use of rapid tests to support the reopening of businesses, and she responded by stating:

. . . We cannot peddle snake oil to Canadians . . . .

Senator Gold, why would Minister Freeland compare the provision of rapid testing to peddling snake oil?