Ottawa still mulling over bonus for CEO of CBC, but won’t make decision public

The Liberal government said it has not yet made a decision on whether it will grant a bonus for the head of CBC after the public broadcaster eliminated hundreds of jobs.

But because of the Privacy Act, it will likely be up to CEO Catherine Tait to publicly disclose if she does receive one, as she has done in past for the 2021-22 fiscal year at a past Canadian Heritage committee. 

A decision hasn’t been made either regarding a potential bonus for 2022-23, CBC said Friday. 

Opposition Conservatives have been seeking support from other parties to back their call to bring Tait back to committee to answer questions around bonuses, including if Tait is expected to receive one. 

“While Canadians struggle to afford basic necessities like food and rent, CBC executives are rewarding themselves with massive bonuses despite their failing performance,” said Rachael Thomas, Conservative MP and heritage critic on social media Friday.

“End the madness. Recall the committee. Defund the CBC.”

The CBC/Radio-Canada board of directors recently approved over $18.4 million in bonuses for nearly 1,200 employees, managers and executives for the 2023-24 fiscal year after it eliminated hundreds of jobs. 

More than $3.3 million of that was paid to 45 executives. 

So far, no other parties have joined the Conservative’s request, even though MPs on the committee unanimously agreed earlier this year that given the job cuts it would be inappropriate for CBC to grant bonuses to executive members. 

“A lot can happen between now and the return in committee so I can’t tell you what my position will be when a motion to invite Ms. Tait will be debated,” said Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux, who sits on the Heritage committee, in a statement. 

“For now, I urge the Liberals to disclose whether or not they approved Ms. Tait’s bonus and to request justifications from CBC-RC’s board.”

New Democrats didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment on whether they want Tait to testify at committee. 

The Prime Minister’s Office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Canadian Heritage declined to speak to The Canadian Press on the record this week and initially referred all questions to the Privy Council Office including if a decision around Tait’s bonus for this last fiscal year had been made. 

The department said it couldn’t answer any question related to Tait’s potential bonus due privacy laws. 

On Friday, Canadian Heritage changed direction by confirming it is still mulling over the decision to approve performance pay for Tait, but cited privacy laws again to say that their decision would not be made public. 

It is up to the federal government to approve a bonus for Tait following a review of her performance and recommendation by the board of directors at CBC/Radio-Canada.

“For vital institutions like this, it’s crucial to carefully review the board’s recommendations and collaborate closely with officials to ensure proper procedures are followed,” the heritage minister’s office said in a statement Friday. 

“The Minister will take the time we need to get board evaluation processes right, while ensuring the government follows human resources best practices and meets strict privacy law requirements.”

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge was not made available for an interview. 

In May, Tait told the House heritage committee that she last received a bonus for the fiscal year 2021-22, and that she had not yet received performance pay for the fiscal year 2022-23.

Tait’s salary range is between $468,900 and $551,600, with the government setting her bonus between seven per cent to 28 per cent of her salary, if she meets certain performance targets. 

Canadian Heritage would not say if she has met the targets. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2024.