What can $7 billion buy?

ninty · **What can $7 billion buy? -** 10-23-2003, 11:57 PM

Budget surplus
Justin Thompson, CBC News Online | October 22, 2003

Finance Minister John Manley announced that Canada's budget surplus for the fiscal year 2002-2003 was a whopping $7 billion. The entire amount, he said, will go toward paying down the national debt – keeping it to a projected $510.6 billion by the end of the fiscal year. A noble decision, indeed. On the other hand, this is Canada's sixth straight budget surplus, and debt payments aren't the most exciting way to spend $7 billion. The CBC's Justin Thompson did some window-shopping to see what else Manley could blow the money on.

An embarrassment of riches?

Here's what $7 billion will buy:

A one-time payment of $221.31 to every Canadian citizen.

58,333,333,300 Timbits ($0.12 apiece).

135,295,766 of "the most luxurious (Canadian flags) available" at Canadian Tire ($51.74 apiece after tax).

Every team in the NHL ($6.4 billion), not including player salaries.

23,728,813 hand pumps, each capable of providing an entire village with water, according to UNICEF ($295 apiece).

Another 2,046 senators for 30 years (assuming they don't get tired of their $114,000 base salary and vote themselves a raise).

Canada's national identity card plan (according to an Oct. 2003 Commons committee report)

The National Bank of Canada (Canada's sixth-largest)

13,589 Saleen S7 supercars – the world's most expensive at $515,099.75 apiece. *Freight, admin., lic. and taxes not included.

140 Bombardier Challenger 604 jets at $50 million apiece, the price the Chrétien government paid for two such jets in 2002.

(For those who are a little more shrewd, the money would buy 256 used Challengers, although they would be the 2001 model).

The Canadian Pacific Railway, with a share price value of $5,505,253,093 on October 22, 2003. That would leave enough to buy the Canadian NHL teams for a little over $1 billion.

The 7 most valuable franchises in the NFL (you'll have to secure a loan for the remaining 25).

320,512,821 Gordon Lightfoot Greatest Hits albums (at $21.84 after tax from HMV)

Or just an embarrassment?

As much as $7 billion is, it's chump change compared with:

Annual interest charges on the debt – $37.2 billion (2002-2003)

The $15 billion cash infusion called for by the Romanow Report on health care (2002).

The net worth of Kenneth Thomson and family – $18 billion

The net worth of Bill Gates – $53 billion

The price of a single Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier. According to the U.S. navy, each one costs $30 billion over its lifetime to acquire, operate, support and deactivate. That doesn't include aircraft.

Happiness - priceless

Swill · **holy shit... -** 10-24-2003, 01:25 AM

damn... 7 billion haha....

Oh man can you imagine what we could do with 7 billion split for all of us?

HAHA i`d still get hella shit...

JBird · **Re: holy shit... -** 10-24-2003, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swill1496

damn... 7 billion haha....

Oh man can you imagine what we could do with 7 billion split for all of us?

HAHA i`d still get hella shit...

rolleyes: lol you would?

i would give 3 billion to charity, and 3 billion to schools. then i would buy the presidency for 1 billion. then i would get impeached, and thrown in jail due to lack of funds for an attourney stupid:

SoLiDUS · 10-24-2003, 03:01 AM

7 Billion dollars ? I'd say the_finger: to everyone and buy my own little
paradise, inviting a few folks and the cutest girls to form... Blisstonia! ;-)

1080jibber · 10-24-2003, 06:46 AM

[quote:14bac]A one-time payment of $221.31 to every Canadian citizen. [/quote:14bac]

i would have settled for that, i could use a few hundred buck

elitecloud · 10-24-2003, 07:43 AM

7 billion....hmmm.....A mansion that would shock celebs, OC Connection Till I DIE! i will not have a computer room....but a computer Floor.....the 3rd floor of my mansion will be One of the biggest Home Networks that ever excisted.....when a computer breaks.....move to the next rock:

Zoner · 10-24-2003, 08:11 AM

Go for the Timbits, man...the TIMBITS!!! Especially the sour cream glazed ones...ooooh baby!!! biggrin:

Machette · 10-24-2003, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner

Go for the Timbits, man...the TIMBITS!!! Especially the sour cream glazed ones...ooooh baby!!! biggrin:

Timbits > all

Stinger_Dude · 10-24-2003, 09:07 AM

I'll get that money and turn Canada into an empire recruiting all the poor mercenaries and crazy rebel/terrorists soldiers for cheap prices. And invade the world muhahahah!!!!!! mwah:

*sigh*

gtboys34 · 10-24-2003, 11:03 AM

I'd pay my tithe's and give all the african americans their reperations check...............................

Paintballr · 10-24-2003, 11:24 AM

Wow 7 billion....could use that right now lol

SW-14 · 10-24-2003, 02:30 PM

- about 6 B2 bombers

Short Hand · 10-24-2003, 04:05 PM

ATi technologies Ltd or if I didn't have enough for that... Savage will do.

Snuff · 10-24-2003, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner

Go for the Timbits, man...the TIMBITS!!! Especially the sour cream glazed ones...ooooh baby!!! biggrin:

what the hell is a timbit?

ninty · 10-24-2003, 05:11 PM

I knew someone would ask this question.

A timbit is the inside of a Tim Hortons Donut.

[img]http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/budget/gfx/timbits.jpg[/img]
Timbit

[img]http://globaldesignandconst.com/clients/client2/images/mvc-008f.jpg[/img]
Tim Hortons