The evolution is analyzed using simple performance indicators that are found in accountability documents such as the Public Accounts of Canada, the Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada (prepared by the Department of Finance) and other publications prepared by various economic and budget forecasting organizations. [...] In the case of Canada, the federal government’s public debt is the accumulation of budgetary surpluses and deficits since Confederation, in 1867. [...] In terms of government expenditure management, “servicing the debt” involves paying interest charges and reimbursing the portion of the debt that comes due. [...] This net debt-to-GDP ratio is commonly recognized as the most appropriate indicator of the debt burden, as it shows the relationship between the public debt and the taxpayers’ ability to support and finance it. [...] If the public debt-to-GDP ratio continues to grow, interest charges on the debt will likely also rise (both because the charges apply to a larger amount of debt and because the market may seek higher interest rates on new debt and debt rollovers, due to the fact that the debt burden is increasing).