Mr. Speaker, last the week the President of the Treasury Board released part III of the main estimates. These estimates clearly show the government's intention to continue its tax and spend ways. Canadians are now so overtaxed that bankruptcies are at record levels and now we have a lower standard of living than we did five years ago.
Out of the estimated budgetary expenditure of $148 billion, $43.5 billion is being spent on interest payments alone on the national debt. That is 29% of total government spending just to service the debt.
My Cariboo—Chilcotin constituents have told me time and again they need more money in their pockets for minimum necessities. While this government boasts of busting the deficit on the backs of taxpayers, it is looking for new ways to spend more tax dollars.
Did the government not learn its lesson that it cannot pay down the debt with money already spent? Apparently not.