This HillStudy consists of a series of questions and answers intended to provide a better understanding of economic statistics and federal government finances. It covers such topics as the following:
- production: gross domestic product (GDP);
- inflation: consumer price index;
- nominal and real GDP;
- raw and seasonally adjusted data;
- accrual and cash-based accounting;
- financial and calendar year;
- income distribution and poverty;
- government accounts;
- government revenues and expenditures, by category;
- public service workforce;
- budgetary balance;
- financial and non-financial assets and liabilities; and
- government debt and accumulated deficit.
Each answer defines a concept, illustrates it with a figure or a table featuring the latest related data available for Canada, and provides a historical and sometimes international perspective.
Read the full text of the HillStudy: Federal Government Finances: Questions and Answers
By André Léonard and Sirina Kerim-Dikeni, Library of Parliament