I won't belabour the point, Mr. Chair. It's an important debate. There's no question about it. The reason I focus on debt to GDP here is that, as we all know, it's a key economic measure. In the view of most economists, it is the key measure when we're looking at debt issues. That's why I raise it.
There's also the view of the International Monetary Fund, which I know my friends in the Conservative Party will be very fond of. They reviewed Canada's spending throughout COVID-19 and found the following. Let me put it on the record again to ease the concerns of Conservative colleagues, whom I care very much for. They said the following: Canada's response during the pandemic “provided crucial support to the economy and the functioning of financial markets, and helped protect lives and livelihoods.” The report also remarked on the importance of avoiding premature withdrawal of policy support, and it welcomed Canada's adoption of fiscal guardrails.
On the whole, the IMF is very comfortable with where Canada is in economic terms. Again, this is not The Socialist International. This is the IMF. If the IMF is good with it, then I'm pretty comfortable, Mr. Chair.