I'll answer your second one first. The time it's taking to get the Red Seal on average is twice the intended length, with it usually taking eight to ten years before someone does the final exam. They're getting their ticket, because first you get your provincial ticket, and then you challenge the Red Seal after that. Generally it's taking about eight years for people to move through.
The kind of time limit is something to be determined. It should be reasonable but also prevent stagnation in the system. In industry, we want to figure out a way to move people through in a way that makes sense for industry, and also in a way that makes sense for the nice people at the Red Seal.
We advocate to our members that they progress as quickly as possible; but to be honest, there's no real incentive for them to do so. It's a tough one.