You can't compare to US GDP without considering the massive deficits they're running. Over the last 15 years, they've averaged deficits of around 6.5% of GDP. In that same time period, annualized nominal GDP growth has been 4.3% a year. So basically, their federal government has been juicing the economy for the last decade and a half with borrowed money.
The equivalent for Canada would be the government running deficits of ~$145B a year for the last 15 years. I mean sure, we could buy some economic growth by doing that, but eventually the party ends.
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