Mr. Chairman, as a banker I have always felt that it was important to pay the interest on the debt. Unfortunately the Government of Canada has a very large debt and a very large portion of that debt bears interest. Some of it does not, but most of it does. A large part of that interest is paid and that is why a large part of the additional expenditures or the program spending has been down each year for a number of years. Since we have been in office it has been down.
The cost of carrying the public debt has increased because the public debt has increased.
A light has gone on in the hon. member's mind because he realizes there is interest paid on the public debt. I am sure it does not come as a surprise to the hon. member that there are interest payments on the debt. Unfortunately we have to pay interest.
Maybe the Reform Party has a better idea than paying interest. Maybe it does not want to pay interest on the public debt. Maybe that is the system which that party has. However, it is not the system of the government. It has obligations and believes that the interest payments on the public debt should be paid. That is where the additional expenditures will go.
Program spending has been down year after year and the public debt costs have increased. It is very simple. I think the hon. member knew that answer.