The Sheppard ‘stubway’ in Toronto: approximately one Billion dollars (CAD). Four stops.

The Scarborough subway, still under debate, and still only an estimate (expect cost to double): forecast cost per household in Toronto: $1,200.00. Forecast subsidy cost, per ride: $17.00. Two stops, maybe three. Instead of seven via light rail.

Toyota’s US recall of cars, for being less than forthcoming: $1.2 billion. For this Toyota ends the prosecution, but admits wrongdoing (an unusual extra penalty).

General Sinclair’s fine: $20,000. This after a plea bargain in which rape charges were withdrawn, no jail term, and sexual misconduct was admitted to. Oh yes, and he got a reprimand.

Now for the dumb question: who pays for this? In the case of the subways, we lucky GTA residents will be forced to do so. In the case of the accelerating Toyota’s, nobody gets reimbursed – the US Justice Department must have an interesting bank account problem. In the case of General Sinclair, no victim compensation was mentioned. It was treated as a misdemeanour and given a fine.

It will be interesting to follow the General Motors lawsuits, as GM sat on the knowledge of its faulty ignition switches for years, with some eleven deaths resulting.

To answer the dumb question: the victims pay. I’ll bet Toyota can find a billion dollars, and that General Sinclair can find $20K. It will be noticed, but not traumatizing. Unlike their victims, with lost or distorted lives.

However, the victims of Toyota have numerous lawsuits going, so their total cost is still unknown, and compensation is going to happen there.