Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to all our witnesses today.
In the interest of time, I will try to get in two questions, both addressed to Dr. Mintz.
Dr. Mintz, as a percentage of GDP, interest payments are at historically low levels despite the COVID deficit. The Minister of Finance has stated in the fall economic statement that the government is moving more debt into long-term bonds, up to 30 years, which yields less than 2%.
At the same time, the Federal Reserve chair, Mr. Powell, a conservative Republican, is asking Congress to introduce another stimulus package as soon as possible to keep the U.S. economy from stalling.
Given the extremely low borrowing costs and the fact that we are not yet out of the woods even as the vaccines start to roll out, and given that we have lost growth potential, should the government not take this opportunity to help the economy get back to full employment levels of 2019 sooner rather than later?