Yes, because we had this discussion with the previous panel about a skills deficit in this country.
Some of it is being addressed by changes to what we're doing in immigration, making it more labour-driven, but we have, between the ages of 15 to 29, roughly 900,000 young people who are just kind of bouncing around out there, who don't have a skill, who don't have a trade. We were talking about making education a lifelong learning process, and I just wanted to ask your opinion on that.
Mr. Bobocel, today the government, Mr. Flaherty, introduced the second budget implementation act. In it there is the small business hiring credit, which will help over half a million small businesses. As you know, we've lowered the small business tax rate to 11%, something the NDP voted against. They were also critical today of the extension of the hiring tax credit.
I just want to get your opinion on how that credit has benefited many of your members. The chamber represents a lot of small and medium-sized businesses. Could you speak about how that has been a benefit to many of your members?