It's amazing. I'm the outlier in my family. I'm a kid from skilled trades. I got an IBEW scholarship to go to the University of Alberta in 1988. It was $500. That paid for half a semester of tuition and books. I was the academic kid. My brother is actually in the skilled trades. So is my nephew. My niece is looking at it. I think we have to have a societal attitude shift about this.
When I came in, I said, “Let's look at the German model.” The German model streams people based on their aptitude. You go the academic route, or you go the trades route. Some, like Senator Bellemare and others, have said, “Look, let's have tripartite advice to the ministry on how we can get labour, employment and government all working together.” I want to see that higher level of coordination.
When it comes to making sure that the trades are esteemed, I don't agree with everything the Ford government does, but I think they've cottoned on to something with the announcement that Minister Lecce made earlier this week. If those students still achieve their academic excellence—they still have to make the marks—the ability to stream them in and have them get skills in the trades while they're in high school.... I think that's an innovative model. We have to see how it works and then see it take place across the country.