Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to our witnesses for the presentation.
I represent a northern Ontario riding, so I'm very pleased, if I understand it correctly, with the national area of selection. It means that people of working age from across the country will eventually have equal access to jobs in this area or elsewhere, so I'm very pleased with that.
I have young people whom from time to time I meet in my riding, and they ask about working for the federal public service. I'm sure it has been said many times around this table, and I'm here just for today, that we have one of the finest, if not the finest public service in the world. I commend not only the part you play, but that of all the other agencies and their leadership that maintain that reputation.
What are the odds for a young person graduating from university or college with the requisite skills for a typical—if such a thing exists—federal position? What are the odds of obtaining employment? We hear the odds of getting a job in the oil patch, if you happen to be in a trade. Those percentages are high.
Can we say to young people: you have a good chance if you want a career in the foreign service or in the administration of government? Could you just deal with the supply-demand question?