Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am going to share my time with Ms. O'Connell.
Thank you, Minister and Deputy Minister, for being with us today.
After many years of hearing the previous government say, such as when Mr. Oliver brought down his last budget, that the economic situation was improving and that we were headed toward balanced budgets, people were surprised to note, according to the update you gave yesterday, the scope of the deterioration in our economic situation. Could you explain to the committee, and to my electors and fellow citizens, how the financial situation could have deteriorated so quickly, and so badly, on such a scale.