We can trace the labour force in great detail using the labour force survey over at least 20 years. The trades have been a stable, and modestly declining, if anything, part of that labour force for at least 20 years. The statistics are readily available from the labour force survey and from tables published by Statistics Canada.
That's not to say that there's not a shortage; that's a different matter. But the trades are not the main growth industry in the labour force these days.
I might note that this and other comments I made can all be documented by various kinds of statistics that are readily available. I didn't cite them this morning because obviously we don't have time. It is correct to say that the trades labour force is a relatively small part, and not a growing part.
