Mr. Speaker, co-operative programs are an approach to technical and technological education which is flourishing in Canada. In this approach students go out from their base in school to gain experience in the workplace.
However, another approach, apprenticeship programs, is doing very poorly here. In this case students are trained in the workplace, reaching out for school programs as required.
The number of apprentices and the quality and relevance of apprenticeship programs in Canada have declined drastically.
One industry in Peterborough which used to have hundreds of apprentices now has only four. One reason for this is that apprentices often receive qualifications which are restricted to
their province. Only 14 per cent of apprentices in Ontario earn licences to work elsewhere in the country.
This is a national disgrace and it is as tragedy for well trained people who find themselves trapped in a province in which the economy is slack.
I urge the government to move quickly on the national apprenticeship program. We need a highly trained, highly mobile, truly national workforce.