We get it. Government accountability is important. But...

The matter of accountability, and the money we would save if only our government would open its books to scrutiny, is such small potatoes compared to Canada’s national debt.

Our national debt is forecasted to hit $620 billion in 2014 (not counting program liabilities), household debt is at an all-time high of $1.4 trillion) but once again we’re being reminded (e.g., in today’s Free Press) that “Parliament spends $500 million a year of our tax money.” (Michael Den Tandt)

Correction, Michael. That figure includes salaries and legitimate expenses (i.e., travel) of all MPs and Senators. Their other spending is therefore a lot less than quoted.


["Come on, boys. Let's go after the big potatoes"]

And if the Auditor General could reduce all other expenses, dubious or not, by 25 per cent and the full amount was applied to the debt, it would take 6,200 years to pay down the national debt.

Though Den Tandt reminds is that “to say they’re all crooks is unfair,” it’s also worthwhile to note that while we focus on government expenses, week after week, our family debt continues to rise, our public debt continues to go through the roof and valuable editorial space is not being used to talk about bigger potatoes - and how we’re going to pay for them.

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Reduce spending, pay down debt, save money.

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