Very often job creation programs simply create a job.
One of the things we have learned from our colleagues recently, for example, is that the skills link program, which represents a huge financial contribution by the federal government, is really not working very well. There are a lot of stumbling blocks with it that need to be reviewed. Its purpose is to provide career development, but it does not seem to be working well.
Second, I would make the argument that for some people, being put into a job is just not sufficient. Some people can clearly walk into a job and cope, but if we really want to fully engage all of our citizens, then we have to recognize that some people really need an early first step. As you're developing job creation programs and expanding such things as the Canada summer jobs program, perhaps there's a way of more fully integrating career development. For example, for one of the programs we did this year, there was a requirement for employers to release the funded employees for 25 hours during their summer employment specifically for career development opportunities. In our review with those young people, they told us that this was probably the most important part of their job. That was the point I was trying to make. I hope that clarifies things.
I also want to come to the bigger question that you posed to Gabriel. You may have noticed in my submission that I was the vice-chair of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for many years, so I fully support the notion that being able to support that type of research will lead us to more socially innovative ways to deal with our complex problems. Canada is not just about technology; it's about how we do so many other things. With our increasing age and demographics, social problems, and changing economy, we need people who can think critically, as you put it, and who are good at collaborating and finding ways of doing things strategically.