I think the issue of aboriginal engagement in education is an increasingly urgent one, in part because it is the fastest-growing demographic in Canada: about 50% of the aboriginal population is under the age of 25. The other interesting thing is that about half the aboriginal population lives in urban centres, so there are issues you referred to, Mr. Eyking, that are relevant to on-reserve residents and then there are other kinds of issues that are relevant to the urban aboriginal population.
I think there are a few different things that we need to be thinking about. I agree with your approach in terms of looking at the German model for apprenticeship across the board. Part of the culture change that I think would be very useful in Canada is that we seriously undervalue the apprenticeships or the trades in general, so in high school kids are basically encouraged to go to university. That's the number one thing that all kids are pushed to. In fact, we all do that in our families, or at least most of us do that, unfortunately. Then the message in high school is that if you're not good enough for university, well, you could go to college, and if you're really not good enough for that, then there are the trades.
That's quite unfortunate, because quite often when you look at it 10 years later, the kids who went through apprenticeships are doing very well, while some of those who got a B.A. in political science are floundering and not able to find a job. We have it backwards when we think a university education is the guarantee to a job and comfort for life. I think we need to look at that part of a change in our culture and provide more value to the trades and to apprenticeships.
If I can come back to the aboriginal population, I can't say that I've seen a program—and I'm not an expert on it—that is really successful enough with on-reserve aboriginal kids. It's a bit easier in the urban centres, where you have a more well-developed educational system and more supports in that system. I think provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which are projecting that in the next few years half of the population in some cities will be aboriginal, are much more seized with it and further advanced on this issue than are other provinces.