Mr. Speaker, I am interested in the previous speaker's comments about lifelong learning and shortages in skilled trades. He spoke about a number of issues I have been very concerned about and on which I was looking optimistically to the budget for some satisfaction.
During his budget speech the Minister of Finance spoke at length about the need for lifelong learning. I believe he used those terms. He spoke about the need for a strong human resources strategy, for more workers in the field of science, industry, trades and various non-university post-secondary training. He capped it off by saying that this was a matter for the provinces. The lead up and a number of the issues raised by the minister and the previous speaker gave us no satisfaction in the skilled trades.
As a journeyman carpenter who has spent his life in the building trades, I have seen a real problem with training opportunities for people who choose blue collar trades as a career choice. All the funding for students while they are in the classroom component of their apprenticeship program has been taken away. There is no longer any income maintenance for those students.
What satisfaction is there for the people in the building trades, the plumbers, carpenters and electricians, who earn while they learn and who have to go to community colleges? Could the member tell me where in the budget there is any satisfaction given to those individuals?