Source: www.cbc.ca OTTAWA - Corporate operating profits climbed to a record high of $50.7 billion in the second quarter of 2004, boosted by rising prices for metals, energy and forestry products as well as a thriving manufacturing sector, Statistics Canada reported on Thursday. Operating profits for the quarter were up 4.1 per cent from the first three months of the year. After-tax profits for the second quarter grew by more than 11 per cent from the first three months of the year, climbing to 31.7 billion. Profit gains last quarter were mainly in the non-financial sector, where operating profits jumped 6.9 per cent to $38.3 billion. Overall, 13 of the 17 non-financial industries boosted profits, led by manufacturing, oil and gas extraction and retail trade, Statistics Canada said. "The financial industries lost ground, as lower profits by depository credit intermediaries – mainly chartered banks – trimmed overall operating profits by 3.6 per cent to $12.4 billion," Statistics Canada said. "Despite the slide, profits of the financial industries remained at their second-highest level ever." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And we don't have enough money to help the impoverished And this isn't even America.......