Bloc leader says he is shocked by millions in 'juicy' bonuses awarded to CBC execs

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet speaks to reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, May 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA -

The $18.4 million CBC/Radio-Canada awarded in bonuses to its employees this year is shocking, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said.

He also said bonuses at the public broadcaster aren't justified because a government-owned corporation doesn't face competition like in the private sector.

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"The juicy bonuses given under the pretext that without them we aren't competitive in the market -- well, we've been hearing that for decades .... Negotiate yourself a salary," Blanchet told reporters in the lobby of the House of Commons.

Describing bonuses as icing on a cake, Blanchet suggested the corporation was using them as a "kind of backdoor salary" that hides how much people are really being paid because the bonuses are only revealed in the media "once a year."

"There can be a little bit of icing, but when the icing becomes part of the salary, I usually start to question things," Blanchet said, adding that the millions of dollars in bonuses "shocks" him.

The Canadian Press reported this week that the public broadcaster paid $18.4 million in bonuses to 1,194 employees this year after it eliminated hundreds of jobs. That included $3.3 million paid to 45 executives, which comes out to an average bonus of more than $73,000.

More than $10.4 million was paid out to 631 managers, and over $4.6 million was paid to 518 other employees.

This year's amount is an increase from the $14.9 million paid out to 1,143 employees in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Opposition Conservatives want the head of the public broadcaster, Catherine Tait, to return to the parliamentary hot seat and provide answers. Earlier this year, members of the House heritage committee unanimously concluded in a report presented to the House of Commons that, given the budget cuts, it would be inappropriate for the CBC to award bonuses to its executives.

It is not clear whether Tait was among those who received performance pay this year. The CEO's performance pay is determined based on a recommendation from the CBC/Radio-Canada board of directors, with approval from the federal government.

The CBC and the federal government have both refused to answer questions, citing privacy rules.

Between December 2023 and March 31, CBC/Radio-Canada laid off 141 employees and cut 205 vacant positions.

NDP heritage critic Niki Ashton said, "it is time to prohibit the CBC from giving bonuses to executives, and for it to use that money to save local journalism."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2024.