According to access-to-information records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the CBC distributed a staggering $14.9 million in bonuses throughout 2023. This revelation has drawn sharp criticism, particularly in light of the broadcaster's announcement just weeks before Christmas, 2023 that it planned to lay off hundreds of employees.Since 2015, the CBC has issued a total of $114 million in bonuses. "CBC President Catherine Tait is wrong to hand out bonuses while announcing hundreds of job losses and begging the government for more taxpayer cash," said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director, condemning the actions of CBC leadership.Terrazzano further urged Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to intervene and halt the distribution of bonuses in the face of ongoing layoffs. The disclosure indicates that 1,143 CBC staffers received bonuses in 2023, with costs to taxpayers totaling nearly $15 million. However, this number could potentially rise, as the data provided is current only up to October 26, 2023.In response to mounting criticism, Tait defended the bonuses, citing them as a crucial component of the total compensation package for non-union staff. Tait's remarks came during her appearance before a parliamentary committee in January 2024, where she faced questioning on executive bonuses and the planned workforce reductions.Further scrutiny revealed additional financial expenditures at the CBC, including $11.5 million in raises for the 2023/24 fiscal year, benefiting 6,575 employees, representing 87% of its workforce. These raises, obtained through separate access-to-information records, bring the total sum of pay raises since 2015 to $97 million. Moreover, data indicates that the number of CBC staffers earning six-figure salaries has surged by 231% since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assumed office in 2015.Despite Tait's assertions of "chronic underfunding," the federal government recently announced a substantial increase in funding for the CBC, totaling $96.1 million. This boost brings the broadcaster's taxpayer funding for the 2024/25 fiscal year to $1.4 billion.Critics, however, remain unsatisfied, particularly regarding Tait's own compensation. Tait's annual pay, which includes salary, bonus, and other benefits, falls between $472,900 and $623,900, according to CBC's senior management compensation summary. The comparison to her predecessor, Hubert Lacroix, is stark, with Lacroix acknowledging a significantly lower annual bonus of "around 20%" during his tenure.Terrazzano reiterated calls for Tait to take a pay cut and end the distribution of bonuses, emphasizing the need for government intervention to curb taxpayer-funded bonuses at the CBC.
