"George R. Gonzalez" wrote:

Yes, but what is it relative to the GNP, or the ability to pay it off?

Canadian GDP is 29,300 and US GDP is 36,600.

I think if you look at the numbers in relative terms, lots of countries,
including Canada, are worse off.

Given that the external debt of Canada is 1.9 billion or roughly USD
63 per capita, while that of the U.S. (using 1995 figures) is 862
billion or roughly USD 3000 per capita, how do you figure that?

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/ca.html
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/us.html

Probably the real black mark in Canada is personal debt, but most of
that is owed to chartered Canadian banks in CAD. The federal and most
provincial governments, however, have been running surpluses or with
balanced budgets for several years now (I doubt the same may be said
for municipal governments).
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)