CBC head Catherine Tait won't rule out accepting a bonus amid widespread cuts
The president of CBC and Radio-Canada signalled Tuesday that she will recommend bonuses are rolled out to executives this year, despite plans to cut 10 per cent of the national broadcaster's workforce.
Catherine Tait said it's ultimately up to the board of directors to determine who gets bonuses, which are doled out at the end of March.
She didn't say whether she would be a recipient of such bonuses.
The broadcaster announced in December that it was cutting 600 jobs and allowing 200 more vacancies to go unfilled, saying it aimed to head off a projected $125-million shortfall in the coming fiscal year.
The additional payments to some staff are merit-based and only provided to those employees who meet certain goals, Tait said.
More than 1,100 employees who are managers, executives or are compensated in certain pay bands are currently part of the incentive pay program, she said.
Tait hasn't said whether she would consider opting out of the program herself, in light of the situation facing employees.
"Canadians are just looking for a signal that (you're) willing to work with the tone of the nation," said Liberal MP Michael Coteau.
For the broadcaster announce job cuts in December after paying out $15 million in bonuses last March is "hard to stomach," Coteau said.
CBC documents released under access-to-information law show more than $99 million in bonuses was awarded to employees between 2015 and 2022.
Coteau noted that Tait could direct the board to reconsider its bonus structure given the new financial reality.
"I'll consider all scenarios," Tait said. "However, we have a program in place. These are not frivolous awards given at Christmas time."
Pressed by Conservative heritage critic Rachael Thomas to specify whether she would recommend bonuses to the board, she said she would if employees "achieve their targets" for the current fiscal year, when no deficit was posted.
The committee agreed in a report to the House of Commons before Tait's appearance that it would be inappropriate to grant executive bonuses in light of the looming cuts.
But members of Parliament have no sway over how the independent broadcaster spends its money -- something Tait pointed out in her opening remarks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2024.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Tensions run high on the Hill as MPs debate second Conservative motion of non-confidence
Members of Parliament debated the second Conservative motion of non-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of the week on Thursday, amid simmering tensions.
Cold case arrest: Nunavut RCMP charge man with murder in 1986 death of teenage girl
Mounties in Nunavut have made an arrest in the murder of a 15-year-old girl almost 40 years ago.
Mounties in B.C. warn 'highly convincing' scammers extorting victims with photos of their homes
Scammers are increasingly using emails to extort money from victims by threatening to reveal compromising photos, videos and personal information to their friends and family members, according to a new warning from Mounties in Metro Vancouver.
Air Canada flight to Toronto diverts due to emergency
An Air Canada flight headed to Toronto from Frankfurt diverted to Edinburgh due to an emergency Thursday, the airline says.
Canadian rapper K'naan charged with sexual assault following arrest in Quebec City
Canadian singer K’naan has been charged with sexual assault after being arrested by police in Quebec City.
WATCH LIVE Helene's winds batter Florida as Category 3 storm races toward the coast
Tropical storm force winds began battering Florida on Thursday as Hurricane Helene prepared to make landfall, with forecasters warning that the enormous storm could create a "nightmare" surge along the coast and churn up damaging winds hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern U.S.
NDP MP introduces bill to criminalize residential school denialism
An NDP MP has introduced a bill that would criminalize residential school denialism, saying it would help stop harm caused toward survivors, their families and communities.
Masking reintroduced in N.S. hospitals as respiratory illnesses increase
A partial masking mandate has returned to Nova Scotia hospitals and provincially run healthcare facilities for visitors and healthcare workers.
Eye drops recalled in Canada over infection risk
A Canadian pharmaceutical company is warning consumers not to use some of its eye drops because of potential microbial growth that may result in eye infections.
Local Spotlight
'It's a big pizza': Edmonton pizzeria selling pie that can feed up to 60 people
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
'I loved growing up in Nova Scotia': Sarah McLachlan excited to return to Halifax roots for tour
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
'Hats off to him': 87-year-old player still hitting the court in Sackville, N.B.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
'You're headed on a Tim's run': Alberta man puts Canadian spin on hit songs
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
'It's my most stolen image': Concerns raised about stolen Indigenous art for Orange Shirt Day
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Ice cream criminals: Lethbridge break-in sees suspects steal plenty of pints
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
Delivering smiles: Winnipeg Canada Post employees going above and beyond while on the job
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
'We'll come back': Fire destroys barn, 17,000 plants at family-owned N.B. business
Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.
Jeanne Beker, the trailblazer of Canadian fashion and music storytelling, inspires new Calgary exhibition
Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.