How do you spend a billion dollars?
You can’t. Well, at least it would be hard. You would have to start spending when you were born and blow through 10 million dollars a year until you were 100 years old.
Most would answer, give it away. But is that what the world’s richest are doing? Sure Bill Gates set up a foundation to help ease the Aids crisis in Africa. Gates is not only the richest man in the world but also donates the most money of anyone to charitable causes. But he’s only one man.
Often in the news room I utter the phrase: “What is wrong with the world.”
Canadian Business Magazine’s list of riches Canadians made me utter that phrase repeatedly today.
Galen Weston, the chairman of Lowblaw Corp. is worth 7.27 billion dollars. Yet the cost of food for struggling families is rising.
Why are factories closing in Waterloo Region while parent companies are still turning a profit? Why are there CEO’s being given perks while people are being laid off?
I have worked for companies that gave their top managers underground parking spots. That’s common practice. However there were young women working for the company forced to walk along city streets at all hours of the night because they couldn’t afford parking spots in the secure lot.
Do the managers deserve free parking. Most likely. I’d like to think they worked hard to achieve their status within the company. However, do they need it? Not more than the young lady who was risking a mugging or worse taking the subway.
Sadly it seems chivalry is dead in this day and age. None of the girls were ever offered a safe, free parking spot.
What is wrong with the world when the rich get the “perks,” those struggling to make ends meet need? Why does a CEO get a company car when a factory worker has to explain to his kids that Santa isn’t coming?
Of Canada’s richest I ask how should you spend a billion dollars?