Where the money's going

The budget math is fairly straightforward: Increased spending on economic stimulus measures plus an economic downturn equal ballooning expenses for the federal government.

Ottawa expects to spend $258.6 billion in 2009-10, up about nine per cent from a projected $237.4 billion in the current 2008-09 fiscal year that ends in March. The government spent $232.8 billion in 2007-08.

For the first time in more than a decade, this would leave less money in the kitty than what the government has spent: projected deficits of $1.1 billion for 2008-09 and $33.7 billion for 2009-10.

 Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the government’s proposed spending. All figures are in billions of dollars:

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