Catherine Tait, the $497,000-a-year CEO of the CBC, will appear before the Commons heritage committee on Monday to explain why senior managers received millions in bonuses while the broadcaster was cutting jobs and citing financial difficulties. Blacklock's Reporter says Tait herself receives an annual bonus of around 20%, or approximately $100,000, according to records.The committee's decision to summon Tait and Michael Goldbloom, chair of the CBC board, follows a unanimous vote on October 2. They are expected to address concerns over "senior management compensation" after it was revealed that CBC executives awarded themselves $14.9 million in bonuses this year, even as the network announced layoffs and claimed a $125 million budget shortfall.Last December, Tait announced the layoff of 346 employees, citing the need to stretch the CBC’s limited resources. “The network faces chronic underfunding,” Tait testified in January. However, an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in May revealed that 100% of CBC executives and 99% of managers received bonuses, a figure disclosed at the request of Opposition House Leader Andrew Scheer.MPs from all parties, including advocates of public broadcasting, have expressed frustration with CBC's management practices. “A lot of things have made you unpopular in Québec,” Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux said during a committee hearing in May. He advised Tait to “read the room.”New Democrat MP Niki Ashton was equally critical, accusing the CBC of acting like a private corporation. “Executive bonuses, layoff of workers, cuts to local broadcasting — Canadians may be wondering if we are talking about a major media conglomerate," said Ashton. "No, we’re talking about the publicly-funded CBC."Ashton further condemned the decision to grant bonuses amid job cuts. “Fifteen million dollars spent on executive bonuses while jobs disappear is wildly irresponsible. Will you commit to canceling executive bonuses to save as many jobs as possible?” she asked.Tait's response to Ashton was cut short, but she indicated that executive compensation would be discussed at an upcoming board meeting.The CBC, which relies heavily on a $1.4 billion annual parliamentary grant, has also been criticized for Tait’s personal expenses, which totaled over $119,000 for business-class travel over two years to destinations like Brussels, Tokyo, and Hollywood. Tait’s term as CEO is set to expire in January, but her tenure has been marked by ongoing controversy over how the network handles its finances while claiming financial hardship.
