Thank you.
This is actually information that the finance department has prepared. Again, I'm going from my recollection of the presentation that I saw the Deputy Minister of Finance provide. I would ask my colleagues to clarify this after this meeting and let you know if I don't have this quite right. My recollection is that our debt-to-GDP ratio was 22%. I believe I recall that figure. Over the next couple of years, if I remember correctly, it was going to go up to somewhere around 29% or 30%, but after five years, because the economy will start growing again, it would come back down to that approximate level.
That's my understanding. It will grow for a couple of years. A number of economists are projecting a few years out that things are going to get good again and come back, and it would come back down.
I think this is also worth noting, and again, my understanding is that if you look back to the nineties when that ratio was very, very high--I don't have the figures--and compare that to now, the main reason it came down was the growth in the economy. There was some reduction in debt, but the growth in the economy was the big factor. I think the growing economy will be the significant factor.
I'll turn to my colleagues to see if they have any different figures on this.