EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story quoted CBC CEO Catherine Tait as saying she was “entitled” to a bonus. The quote as provided by the Conservative party was false. Catherine Tait, CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), told the House of Commons Heritage Committee Monday that she deserves a performance bonus, despite overseeing a tenure marked by significant challenges at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.Under Tait’s leadership, CBC viewership reportedly dropped by nearly 50%, leading to the elimination of 800 jobs last December. Despite these setbacks, Tait also used her appearance to request additional taxpayer funding from the federal government.This request comes amid scrutiny over previous funding allocations. After receiving a $42 million emergency top-up from the Trudeau government, CBC paid out $18.4 million in bonuses, including $3.3 million to 45 executives — averaging $73,000 per executive, a figure higher than the annual salary of many Canadians..Critics note the disparity between executive compensation at CBC and the economic hardships faced by Canadians. With food bank usage rising and 1,400 homeless encampments recorded in Ontario alone, many view the bonuses as excessive.Tait, the highest-paid CBC executive in history with a base salary exceeding $500,000, argued that her term has been a "success" and expressed pride in her leadership.However, she acknowledged that "several" CBC employees also earn over half a million dollars annually, citing bonuses as a contributing factor.The controversy places pressure on the federal government and Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to address public frustration over executive compensation at the broadcaster.Opposition leaders, including the Conservative Party, have renewed calls to defund the CBC entirely, citing a legacy of missed performance targets and declining public engagement under Tait’s leadership.
