Mr. Speaker, throughout our country's history, each generation has undertaken the great task of building Canada. Today, at the dawn of a new century, we are fortunate indeed to live in a land of promise, in a world of change, in a time of opportunity. That being said, we are in a better position today to chart our own course than we have been in many a decade. The size of our economy will surpass the trillion-dollar mark this year. The deficit is a matter of history.
Inflation remains in check.
The government debt burden is declining. Canada's foreign debt burden is declining. Consumer and business confidence are at near-record levels. Most importantly, after a number of difficult years, these positive economic indicators are now beginning to be reflected in the daily lives of Canadians. Three years ago, that trend began to turn around.