Sure. In the main estimates this year, we are asking for an increase of 1.3%. Helmets to hardhats is a joint partnership. TransCanada is putting $1 million into this program in the next five years. The Government of Alberta is putting in, if I may use the expression, some money. We are putting $150,000 into this program.
Basically, it is a website that will be available for veterans so they can offer their services. What is especially interesting is that we have been working with unions, and unions are not only providing the web service for the website, but they are providing the
the process to recognize equivalences. For example, if a veteran was a tank operator or a mechanic, he would have a very good chance of being employed in construction in the public sector of civilian society.
Unions, with their technical and training schools, have made a commitment to recognize equivalences. That's important for our military members. By the time they leave military life, they have gained a whole set of skills, but they are not able to get that experience recognized in civilian society. That is a problem and that is one of the objectives of the helmets to hardhats program.
That is why we are going beyond just providing the web interface for finding jobs, as interesting as that might be. There is also the service and the training. For example, if a veteran has military training as a heavy-duty or armoured vehicle operator and he wants to develop the skills for civilian society, union representatives will provide him with the necessary training to be certified and to be able to qualify for the various classifications in construction jobs.
Entrepreneurs in my riding have called me and said that they wanted to hire veterans. Other provinces have also approached me because they would like to take part in the helmets to hardhats program. For the time being, we are having a bit of trouble meeting the demand given the keen interest in the program.