Government Silence on CBC CEO Bonus

The Liberal government is under scrutiny regarding the potential approval of a bonus for Catherine Tait, the head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Opposition Conservatives are demanding clarity on whether the government sanctioned this bonus, while New Democrats are advocating for a complete ban on such payments. The decision to grant a bonus rests with the federal government, following a performance review and recommendations from CBC's board of directors. CBC has deferred inquiries to the government, which has remained tight-lipped on the matter. In a recent appearance before the House heritage committee, Tait disclosed that her last bonus was for the fiscal year 2021-22, and she had not yet received performance pay for 2022-23. This information is also publicly accessible on the CBC website. The CBC/Radio-Canada board recently approved over $18.4 million in bonuses for nearly 1,200 employees, despite significant job cuts within the organization. The Privy Council Office has not confirmed whether a bonus recommendation for Tait was made by the board or if it received government approval. Tait has faced questioning from the heritage committee on two occasions regarding job cuts and the possibility of accepting a bonus for the fiscal year ending March 31. The New Democrats have criticized the Liberal government for not adequately protecting jobs at the public broadcaster and have called for a ban on executive bonuses. NDP heritage critic Niki Ashton emphasized the importance of the CBC as a public service and suggested reallocating bonus funds to support local journalism instead.