Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you all for coming this morning. It's a complex topic, as you've outlined.
I'm sure you have surveys of your own, as the chief recruiter, Commander MacKeigan, and I'm sure you are aware of some of the public domain information. I saw a survey or reports of a survey several months ago. I don't have it with me, unfortunately, but it said that the majority of people who join the Canadian Forces aren't necessarily the gung-ho “I want to go there and fight the enemy or get involved”, but are doing it for career reasons.
First, would you agree with that?
And second, what happens in this period of zero to three years that you do get...? Well, you've improved it, but it's 25% attrition. Are young people who join disappointed with the options they're presented with? Give us a little scenario.
Suppose I decide I want to join the forces because I have a good, positive feel about the forces and I think it's the place for me, but I'd like to have a career. I don't really know what I can do. You have 101 occupations.
Do you actually say, “Okay, Mr. Harris, come in: we'll give you a test to see what your interests are and we'll try to provide a career path or training program for you”?