Mr. Speaker, government spending is running out of control. In the last fiscal year program spending was up by over 7% and the government projects to see program spending increase by at least 5% a year, which is nearly twice the combined level of inflation plus population growth.
If we were simply to restrain spending at the rate of inflation and population growth there would be an additional $58 billion available for additional tax relief and debt reduction.
My question is for the finance minister. Why has he bowed to pressure from his big spending cabinet colleagues rather than doing the responsible thing, holding the line and providing Canadians with more of their own hard earned money?