Thank you.
And I want to thank you both very much for coming.
You may be aware that part of the basis for this study was a report that was done by the Chamber of Commerce. In their list of recommendations, the Chamber of Commerce made a couple of key points that I think relate to what you both presented. One was that the K-to-12 system needs a strong look because of the fact that you can end up with people who can't go on to certification or trades apprenticeships unless they have their grade 12 graduation. The second thing was ensuring that skills and training programs are flexible enough to accommodate the realities of the communities.
There are a couple of points. You both seem to point to successes in the program. One is that full partnerships with business, with labour, and with the first nations communities are important. The second thing that seems to have been a success is the direct employment link from the training programs for the individuals.
I wonder if you could both touch on this. Are the programs that are currently available long enough? Are they funded well enough? Is the bureaucracy too much?
I'll start with Mr. Merasty.