Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is about to achieve a unique distinction in the modern era of finance ministers. This will be his eighth budget deficit in a row. He will have added $160 billion to Canadian debt woes. He will have added $20,000 worth of debt to every family in Canada.
Just when Canadians find themselves with record household debt, the finance minister comes along and adds $5,000 to the debt of every man, woman, and child in Canada and then has the gall to lecture them on their own personal finances.
It was all so unnecessary. These are all self-inflicted wounds. The Minister of Finance destroyed the revenue base he inherited from the Liberal government and has never been able to balance his budget and match his expenses to his revenues, and again he will not do it today.