Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With the statistics we have in education where grade 10 seems to be the wall that many of our students are hitting, they are having a hard time getting beyond that. Our financial situation is cutting back our ABE budget by a large percentage, I think it is important that this kind training and education, the basics in the trades, are taught in junior high. That is where it should begin. If students are not getting beyond grade 9 and these are only taught in grade 10, they are not even getting that. They are really getting short-changed throughout.
The Minister responded to a question raised by my colleague, Mr. Roland, who stated that it seems kids are being pushed to the next grade level even though they do not qualify to keep in pace with their age and they are hitting the wall because of that. Mr. Ootes replied by stating the exact opposite.
The fact remains that grade 10 seems to be the wall that a large percentage of our population is hitting. I think it is important that junior high is used to a greater extent in the areas of trades training. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.