Thank you, Minister, for being here today.
Minister, there is a growing perception, not just around our country, but definitely in the Okanagan and throughout my riding, that the government does not have a firm grasp on its expenses. People feel that you're spending a lot of money in a lot of different areas and it is adding to the debt.
I'm sure that reasonable people can agree that some of this may be good, but when people see extravagances and excesses, I would hope you'd agree, this is not good for anyone, because we need to have faith in our institutions, which are supposed to be spending this money correctly and with all prudence.
I have to say, I'm slightly alarmed that you won't even utter the words, “balanced budget”. It's almost like these are dirty words for you. Previous Liberal and Conservative finance ministers would work very hard to be able to say to the people's representatives that they had succeeded, or at least that they had worked towards a balanced budget. It worries me. I will say, Minister, that this may not concern you, but I tell you what, there are people in this country who are getting concerned because you will not even say to the people's representatives when you will turn in a balanced budget or how much money you're going to be putting us into debt. None of this causes confidence.
Minister, I spoke with a pensioner from the Okanagan. Her name is Donna. Donna's quite concerned about her grandchildren inheriting a lot of debt—debt that mainly is being applied, not during a war, not during a recession, but for ideological reasons and contrary to certain promises. Donna has given me a cheque written out of her own pocket. She's estimated the consumer price index on her old age security, and she has said that she wants to see it go towards the debt and not towards other spending.
Minister, will you, first, accept this cheque, and second, ensure that it goes entirely towards paying down the debt and not towards other spending?