Canadian Heritage Committee on April 11th, 2024

[Robert Malcolmson]

Well, we provided notice.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

You provided notice to the government.

[Mirko Bibic]

We gave notice and provided the minimum salary of 16 weeks, so we were fully compliant.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Why did it take me five minutes to get a straight answer?

[Mirko Bibic]

The answer hasn't changed, which is that we were compliant.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

No, it absolutely has. You evaded for the first four and a half minutes, and then finally, in the last 30 seconds, I got an answer. Why?

Do you think this is a joke? Do you enjoy wasting my time?

[Mirko Bibic]

These are technical issues—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

There's nothing technical about it. Either you know the legislation, or you don't. You either followed it or you didn't, and you said you did. Therefore, you must know what was carried out.

[Mirko Bibic]

There were specific details and requirements under the legislation that I knew we complied with. I didn't have the specific details at my fingertips when you first asked the question, but I knew that we were fully compliant, which is why I answered as such. The answer has not changed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'm sorry, Mrs. Thomas. The time is up. In fact, we're a little over time.

I want to go now to Ms. Anju Dhillon, from the Liberals.

Ms. Dhillon.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to our witnesses for being here.

I have some follow-up questions. First of all, was it 16 weeks' notice or 16 weeks—

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

Could I ask my colleague to move her earphones away from her microphone to avoid acoustic feedback, for the sake of the interpreters?

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

I'll take them off. Is that better now?

Were 16 weeks of notice or 16 weeks of severance provided?

[Mirko Bibic]

We gave notice, and all employees are therefore paid during the full 16 weeks, at minimum.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

They were all fired at the same time. Can you talk to us a little about their personal situations when it came to that?

[Mirko Bibic]

Chair, just for clarification, I believe that question would be in respect of the unionized team members, because it depends. If you were management or union or non-management, we had a different process.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

What is the division of the roles of all the talented team members who were cut?

[Mirko Bibic]

There would be about 850 of the 4,800 that were vacant positions. Those positions were eliminated.

About 800 of the positions were unionized team members, and 60% of those chose a voluntary separation package. They identified themselves as being willing to depart the company. Then there were management team members. Across the board, all 4,800, less the vacant positions, of course, where there was no individual attached to the position.... It's very difficult for them in particular. It's a very difficult decision to make, but more fundamentally it's difficult for each of those individuals affected.

We acknowledge their vast contributions to Bell. That's why we made sure to follow the legislative requirement to provide separation packages, career transition packages and continued benefits.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

What means—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Excuse me, Ms. Dhillon. There is feedback from your microphone. We're hearing it from the interpreters. If you have a device close to the microphone, could you move it away? Thank you.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Ms. Dhillon should speak, Madam Chair.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Do you hear any feedback right now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

No, there is no feedback.

You may continue now, Ms. Dhillon.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

What means were given to give notice at the time of firing?

[Mirko Bibic]

Again, I'll just clarify, because I do want to properly answer the honourable member's questions. With respect to the unionized team members and the management members, there are different processes.