They have it all wrong, The problem is not our debt, It is our taxes!

The press has been harping of late,  along with the national governing party of our day, of how our personal debt is rising at a dramatic rate. They are absolutely correct! The debt level of the average Canadian is increasing. It does not bode well for an economy based on consumerism.
But is the base level of debt the root cause of this problem? Is there a deeper concern we should address? Are there a couple of factors, over looked purposefully by those in the know that could, if addressed by the Canadian public, change the game and eliminate this problem?
The Canadian consumer is in siege. Attacked by a silent, unmentioned inflation that has put the average Canadian in the unenviable position of being short on cash each month. Our wages are virtually frozen to less than a 2% increase yearly. The inflation rate, posted by economists, followed by governments, and massaged by statisticians has been in a healthy range of 1.5% to 3.0% for over a decade. It is the measure of health of our economy that most specialists quote when discussing the stability of our economy.
Forgive my naivete here, but I find my personal inflation rate much greater that this highly quoted, much aligned statistic. My gas price, for instance has risen from $0.70+ per litre in 2009 to almost $1.20 today. Now lets see, very simple mathematics would suggest this is much greater than the 2.5% inflation we have today. It appears that this is more like a .50/.70 increase over two years, or 80% per year! That seems a little greater that 2%????
Let's look at our utility bill. Due to the close correlation with oil and natural gas, our electrical bill has sky rocketed as well. Not only has the bill risen dramatically, but government run utility corporations now bill by the hour of use. Do not forget the debt retirement fee and the delivery fee. Again, large increases that we are totally unable to sustain.
Nasty day-electrical-use consumers get charged more than those who use electricity at night! Great opportunity for savings by a consumer says the provincial government who is selling this to us as a "Green" initiative. I say this is simply another inflationary attempt to get our natural recourse called "cash". The only "Green" initiative is to get our "Green" money.
Commodity food prices are rising at an alarming rate especially in countries which have become more developed. These new consumers are devouring our commodities as they develop their economies. They want the same things we already have. No question they deserve a better life style. That I applaud. The problem is that in a world community with limited resources, prices are bound to rise on commodities we all want. If we review wheat and corn prices today, they are at two plus times the same level of 2008. Thus the next item to rise in price will be food.
Let us not forget the largest consumer cash grab, the HST. On top of many commodities, services and other consumables we have had an 8% tax increase.
Pinched in the middle is.....me.....you....and all of the other so called consumers with little control and much to loose.
So, are consumers borrowing more? Yes! Why? Just to live! Just to compete with others for the same resources.