I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here today.
Mr. Atkinson, I want to echo your comments. Being a representative from Cape Breton, we've always had a large pool of skilled tradespeople who have worked on some of the biggest projects around the world, so mobility obviously is a big issue.
Going back to the apprenticeship stuff, we know that not even 50% of apprentices who begin programs complete those programs. In the initial investment on the tax credit program for apprenticeships, the government put in about $150 million, and they never used all of it. It had never been exhausted, and they have cut it back by about a third over the last couple of years.
We know that when surveyed the apprentices who would benefit from that tax credit, 90% of them said—and this is the government's own stats on it—they would have entered into the apprenticeship regardless of whether or not there was an incentive.
Is it the best vehicle to support apprentices, and is it the best vehicle to help with success with regard to pulling apprentices over?
Mr. Ferguson may want to comment on that too.