Canadians might be excused if they are having a sinking feeling right about now.
The feeling was already in the air as the Scary Monster known as COVID-19 is raising its hoary head once more as it rampages across the country, with Alberta and Ontario leading the country with new cases.
Following in its wake are new restrictions, which vary depending on where you live and which government is in charge, and overseeing all of it is the federal government.
The Trudeau administration seems destined to sink us once and for all, according to the huge numbers indicated in the fiscal statement made on Monday by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Not helping is Trudeau himself, with his recent infamous statements about resetting Canada. In a time of COVID-19, it really is not very much of a comfort to be making statements that imply measures that could be very detrimental and ruinous for our country.
But then we have Freeland, who is telling us the national debt is projected to hit at least $381.6 billion — but that’s if we have a best-case scenario. If there are further restrictions put on by more of the provinces, that amount could balloon close to $400 billion.
These are huge numbers, almost unfathomable to most people — and this should worry everyone. This is not only going to be a heavy weight in the coming months and years, but it is going to be an albatross around the necks of our children and grandchildren.
Is this the Great Reset that Trudeau envisions for our country? Will this be how he justifies what he wants to do with our futures?
They will quickly point to the pandemic as the reason for all the spending — and yes, COVID is causing a great deal of hardship for a lot of people, and business owners and in the economy as a whole.
The fact also is that the government could be aiming spending at stimulating and encouraging industry and businesses to stay healthy and be active again.
Just as one example, rather than running the oil and gas industry into the ground, along with the economies of Saskatchewan and Alberta with a regressive and punitive carbon tax, they could actually try helping the industry, and in turn they could put people back to work.
The return of energy jobs would then stimulate the economy and help it regain some of its former health — and guess what? This would not only help local businesses out, but it would also create more tax revenue that would assist governments to reduce that ballooning deficit.
There are solutions beyond running the economy into the ground and bankrupting our future generations, if only the government would be willing to take that step.
