The Liberal government wants Parliament to approve billions in new spending to extend COVID-19 relief, but with the holiday recess scheduled to begin Dec. 17, its report on how it spent over $600 billion in the last fiscal year, which ended March 31, was not provided until Dec. 14. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s April budget estimated that $634.9 billion was spent in fiscal 2020–21, leaving a deficit of $354.2 billion. However, the 402-page first volume of public accounts showed the government spent $608.5 billion in total program expenses and another $20.4 billion servicing public debt, for a rounded total of $628.9 billion. This caused a record deficit of $327.7 billion, which will fetch more interest charges annually until accumulated surpluses equal that amount. Only twice in the past 10 years has the publication of public accounts waited until December. The public accounts, along with associated documents, show the details of …