Do you know what the role of government has given us in Canada? It's given us $55 billion of taxpayers' money that's going to be paid in interest this year--$55 billion between the provinces and the Government of Canada. That's $34 billion by the Government of Canada and $21 billion by the provinces. That's as much money as all the governments in Canada pay for education in this country--for primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. We're spending that in interest because governments over the years, of different parties, had the attitude in Canada that running up public debt, taxing the next generation, was okay. We don't share that view.
On November 23rd, 2006. See this statement in context.