Canada's 2002-03 Surplus Close to C$7 Billion-Source

[Bandit]

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's budget surplus for the fiscal year ended March 31 was almost C$7 billion ($5.3 billion), more than double previous government forecasts, a federal official said on Tuesday.
<snip>

In February's budget, Ottawa forecast a 2002-03 surplus of C$3 billion and because that year is over, the surplus must be used to pay down the C$507.7 billion federal debt.
Last year's larger than forecast surplus is likely to renew calls by provincial finance ministers for more health-care money this year. They met with Manley earlier this month to press their case for extra funding.
Ottawa has promised up to C$2 billion more to help shore up the provinces' cash-strapped public health systems, if the surplus exceeds its C$3 billion contingency fund, but Manley said last week there was "some risk" it may not.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=840&ncid=721&e=11&u=/nm/20031021/wl_canada_nm/canada_economy_surplus_col

[Guaranteed]

1. Wow...

Who said there was something wrong with socialism?

[Superfly]

2. Maybe they can divert some of that

to the black hole known as the Canadian firearm registry.

[Maple]

3. It isn't a black hole

so it doesn't need any diversions.

[Superfly]

4. Think again

[Maple]

5. I'm familiar with the propaganda

but that's all it is.

Canadians want, and have, a firearms registry.

It is accessed over 2000 times a day by the police.

This item...by the Federation of Anglers and Hunters...is deliberate misinformation and fabrication.

[Superfly]

6. How many sources do you want?

The overrun on the projected costs is VERY well documented:

Link

[HEyHEY]

7. Gotta link?

I've heard lots about the money being spent, but I haven't seen anything about that being false info...gotta link?

[Superfly]

8. Another one from the Auditor's office

<snip>

Over the first seven years of operation, the Canadian Firearms Centre incurred $688 million in program costs. This includes expenditures up to March, 2002. Projected costs for this year are $113.5 million, bring total costs of the program since its inception to about $800 million.

<snip>

Link

Oh, but that must be misinformation and fabrication, too.

[Maple]

11. See that one word

'projected?'

Not actual...projected.

Major difference.

And since no one knows what it costs to set up a registry, and it has been sabotaged every step of the way by cranky right wingers...I'd say they were doing very well.

Now you think you can return to the actual topic here, and stop highjacking threads?

[Superfly]

13. I'll hijack any thread I want, thank you very much

Yeah, you're right about "projected"...it could be A LOT more...

[LibertyorDeath]

9. Yes & most of it belongs to me. Have you seen how much tax their

taking from my Cheques.

[HEyHEY]

10. Yeah..I know that feeling...

Thank god I'm not working right now!

[Maple]

12. Oh yeah, unemployment is wonderful

Sheesh.

"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilised society" -Oliver Wendell Holmes

[HEyHEY]

14. sarcasm intended Maple sarcasm intended

[Spazito]

15. Well, we could be 500 billion in deficit like our neighbours, so....

my take on it is, we are doing damn good and I am not going to complain.

(Edited to change debt to deficit)

[ConcernedCanuk]

16. I dunno who said Canadians want this registry -

. . I know most gun OWNERS didn't, and don't want this registry

and the taxpayer groups are screaming about the cost.

alot of gun owners either did not register some of their guns, or sold them so they didn't have to register them.

Imagine a person with dozens of rifles collected over the years, some just for the heck of it - We OWNERS figure that sooner or later we will have to pay a fee for each gun, sorta like licence plates on an annual basis, so some old hunter with a whack of rifles simply could not afford these fees.

Of course, the BAD guys aren't going to register their guns, right ?

- so what's the point ?

- lessee - someone gets shot with a .22 caliber let's say

- how is the gun registry gonna help the police ?

there's gotta be MILLIONS of 22 cal. - whatta the cops gonna do -

pull up the registry and get every .22 to do a ballistic test ? - NOT

imagine that tho, us wimpy Canuks got a surplus, noone hates us, (cept maybe our "neighbours" in a certain WH) AND we got FREE Healthcare !

so i guess our Chretien did SOMETHING right, hope our "new" guy does as well

[HEyHEY]

18. Well, you know when you're gonna rob a store the first...

Thing you do is register your fire-arm. But then...how many stores get robbed with legally accuired 30/30's with a scope and killer artistic shoulder strap?

I guess the big deal is that if they do find a gun at a scene they can trace it and see if the owner had it stolen yadayada....maybe they know the person who stole it...yadyada.....But is that worth the money...nabbing that small group of people this will enable police to nab?

[stevedeshazer]

17. Not that I want to intrude

But, as an American, I can see that your problem is easily solved!

A giant TAX CUT is in order! Spread it out regressively over ten years. Target the dollars to the wealthiest Canadians! That will take care of your troublesome surplus. Surely you wouldn't want it spent to help the less fortunate society.

We're Americans! Do it our way, or I'll snub your PM again.

[tom_paine]

19. LOL!

:evilgrin:

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. OR we could build a Gigantic WarMachine and invade helpless countries?

. . you missed the obvious !! (wink)

:bounce:

[HEyHEY]

22. LOOKOUT ICELAND!

We're taking back the NORTH!

[Spazito]

23. Hmmm, which of our leaky subs would we use?

Should the bombs be composed of maple syrup or canadian cheddar? Decisions, decisions?

[HEyHEY]

24. We can break out our snow cannon.....

And hit them as they drive down the street!

[Spazito]

25. ROFL!

Good one!

[HEyHEY]

26. Yeah good old "Throwing snowballs at cars" ....

Should be an Olympic sport!

[Spazito]

21. LOL!

Thanks for the chuckle!

[ConcernedCanuk]

27. Nah, nah - the solution is simple

. . We just take away the Healthcare,

then we'd have LOTS of money for a warmachine

AND,

then we'd be more like our "neighbours" !!

[Frederic Bastiat]

28. Why is this a good thing?

Given the decrepit state of our infrastructure, hospitals and public schools. In Québec at least funding has been slashed for all services EXCEPT healthcare and yet the Federal government is sitting on a huge pile of TAXPAYERS cash.

[Spazito]

29. There will be more money put into healthcare, that has already been said

we DO have debt to pay down, instead of hiking up. Would you rather be adding to the debt?

[ConcernedCanuk]

31. It's been legislated that surplusses go to the debt, - with reason

. . First of all, we DO have a debt to pay down

Secondly, if it is NOT used for the debt,

every other party/ministry/group etc. would be fighting for a piece of the pie,

and waste alot of the surplus in the Process

JMHO

[stevedeshazer]

30. Well, here

Our deficit is a half-trillion dollars US just for THIS YEAR. And practically every state is out of money, because thy can't print it like our federal government can.

Giving you guys back the surplus your federal governemnt has collected may or may not be a good idea (rainy day fund?) but I'd much rather be in your position than ours, where not only are taxes being slashed, but social programs, education, and medicine are all being sacrificed for eternal war against the terrorists du jour.

[Spazito]

32. Between you, me and the virtual fence post, I think we Canadians are...

lucky to be fighting over what to do with the surplus. Given different circumstances, we could be fighting the tough economic battle as your countrymen are.

(Edited to add economic)

[schultzee]

33. Spazito, you are so luckey that you are not here in the USA and

I wish I lived in Canada. The USA is becommng the North Mexico United States, corrupt, fascist, and now run by an Ivy League Mafia.

[dArKeR]

34. Budget surplus hits $7-billion - TGM

The federal budget surplus hit $7-billion in the most recent fiscal year, making the Canada the only member of the Group of Seven nations to finish 2002-2003 in the black, Finance Minister John Manley said Wednesday.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031022.wbug1022/BNStory/Business/