Many Canadians are unconcerned about Ottawa's growing national debt despite federal borrowing exceeding $1 trillion, according to taxpayer-funded focus group research conducted for the Department of Finance.Blacklock's Reporter says the findings come ahead of Thursday's federal budget from Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre warns the Liberal government is piling billions of dollars onto the country's debt.A newly released report, Post-Economic Update Focus Group Research, found many participants struggled to comprehend the size of the national debt and questioned whether balancing the federal budget was realistic.“Most felt it was inevitable and that trying to balance the budget quickly was not realistic,” researchers wrote.“Many saw the deficit as just a number that made little difference to their personal, day-to-day lives.”The June 4 research was released as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation brought its digital national debt clock to Parliament Hill, displaying federal borrowing increasing by more than $2,000 every second.Poilievre used the display to attack Prime Minister Mark Carney's government over its spending and borrowing.“For every minute I’m talking, the Liberals are growing that debt,” Poilievre said.“We need to stop talking before the country goes bankrupt.”The Conservative leader also challenged Carney to publicly confront the growing debt.“I dare Mark Carney to come here and stand in front of this debt clock to show off the monstrosity he is creating for this country,” Poilievre said.According to the Parliamentary Budget Office, the federal debt amounts to approximately $33,436 for every Canadian.Ottawa has balanced its books only once in the past 19 years, recording a surplus in 2015.However, the Finance Department's research suggests years of deficit spending have left many Canadians accustomed to federal governments borrowing money.“No one could remember when there had not been a deficit and with all the economic turbulence as a result of war in the Middle East and the imposition of tariffs and other trade disputes with the United States, there was an expectation there would have to be a large deficit,” the report stated..Researchers found most participants did not consider the federal deficit a pressing concern, particularly when compared with their immediate financial challenges.“The vast majority expressed little concern about the deficit and felt it was inevitable,” the report said.“For most, the deficit is just a number and they had little sense of what that really meant or how it affected their personal lives or standard of living.”Some participants pointed to the federal government's massive borrowing during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence the economy could withstand substantial deficits.“Some recalled the huge deficits that governments had incurred during the pandemic and how the economy had seemingly absorbed that,” researchers wrote.Federal deficit spending reached a record $327.7 billion in 2021, while the national bonded debt surpassed $1.1 trillion the following year.The Finance Department paid Toronto-based polling firm Environics Research $282,862 for the study, which included 10 focus groups conducted across Canada.Although most participants expressed limited immediate concern about federal borrowing, researchers found some acknowledged that persistent deficits could eventually create serious economic problems.“Many participants noted that while the deficit was not an immediate concern for them, they still understood at some level that it was harmful to have large deficits every year and there ought to be some sort of plan to bring it under control and make sure it doesn’t become a major problem,” the report stated.The research also found confusion among participants about the difference between the annual federal deficit and the accumulated national debt.Some connected government borrowing with their own financial struggles, including rising household debt and the cost of living.Canadians “did not distinguish between the deficit and their own personal balance sheet, and linked the deficit to the rising cost of living and personal debt,” researchers wrote.The findings highlight a contrast between the federal government's mounting debt obligations and the relatively limited concern expressed by participants in the research.The focus group results reflect the views of those who participated and are not statistically representative of all Canadians.Champagne is scheduled to table the federal budget Thursday, with government borrowing, spending and the national debt expected to face scrutiny from opposition MPs.
