Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Page, for being here. I think it's very fitting and timely that you're here with us today. I can't imagine a more important witness. Prior to Canadians going to the polls once again, they have a right to know what their government's real action plan is to slay this deficit. And in the absence of any information being volunteered by the government.... We've had deputy ministers here; it's like pulling teeth to get any information out of them regarding their real plan.
My first question to you, from these very useful papers that you've written for us, deals with the fiscal outlook comparison. When you compare the PBO's fiscal outlook, the IMF's fiscal outlook, and Finance Canada's fiscal outlook, you know, the Minister of Finance is either being wildly optimistic or deliberately fraudulent.
How can anybody be so far out, and then, in the absence of any information, defend his fiscal outlook? All we have to go by, the one single measurable action plan, is cutting and hacking and slashing the public service, which is exactly where we started when we had Minister Day at this committee.
It's funny.... Well, my question to you, I suppose, is can this fiscal outlook by Finance Canada be taken seriously, or is it chimera? Is it hokum, bunk?