The apprenticeship model in Canada needs to be overhauled and the funding of the apprenticeship program also needs to be overhauled. Let me give you an example.
We have put into place some unique programs with progressive employers. Irving Shipbuilding is an example. We put into place a program that assists women in going into trades, and through it 25 women are now starting as welders in the Irving Shipbuilding facilities, which is predominantly male.
We have just negotiated with Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. We are now in the process of bargaining, negotiating, and training for the next generation, based on the technological changes in the auto industry. Among that program is also a program for women in trades, where we are encouraging women to take an apprenticeship.
So how do we strengthen the apprenticeship opportunities? How do we put into place a system that will encourage employers? As an example, we can certainly use the employment insurance system as an opportunity to pay employees who are going through the educational aspect of the apprenticeship. When apprentices are in school, I believe that they should be paid out of the employment insurance fund. Why? It's because it is the next step of development.
You will find that those types of impediments cause employers to balk. They don't mind paying if a person is physically producing something within a manufacturing environment or a workplace, but they're reluctant to invest in the months and months of academic time, so if we're talking about workers with disabilities, we need to identify the trades and the opportunities that would be very important for not only workers with disabilities, but for a whole host of workers in Canada who need assistance.