Thank you.
Evidence of meeting #115 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #115 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
—figure out how to keep Canadian news alive.
I'd love to have that conversation as well with the honourable members.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Thank you, Mr. Bibic.
Again, I'm pointing out the choices you made. The choices could have been to keep the jobs. The choices could have been to not have such massive dividends, massive stock buybacks or massive pay increases to your own compensation. The choice could have been to keep more workers.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We're always managing for the short term and the long term, because if we don't make—
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We are also trying to preserve 40,000 jobs.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Through you, Madam Chair, this is my final question.
Canadians for Tax Fairness indicated that over a four-year period of time, by using tax evasion tactics, including tax loopholes, Bell as a company was able to avoid paying $1 billion in taxes.
I'm wondering how much you plan to avoid paying this year in taxes.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
Chair, if the honourable member could kindly provide that report, we'd be happy to provide a response to the clerk. I'm not aware of that report.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Absolutely. It's publicly available. It's by Canadians for Tax Fairness. I'm sure they have a public website as well. We can absolutely make that available to you.
I'm curious about how much you're trying to avoid paying in taxes again this year.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We will take a look at the report and file an answer, so we can give a considered answer to the very good question.
Thank you.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
We look forward to that answer being sent to the clerk of the committee, Mr. Bibic.
Now we're going to our second round. It's a five-minute round. Once again, I stress that the five minutes are for questions and answers.
I'm going to the Conservatives and Rachael Thomas.
You have five minutes, please, Mrs. Thomas.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
Mr. Bibic, in the last eight months you have cut a total of 6,100 jobs. In February, just a couple of months ago, there were 4,800 jobs cut.
According to legislation, the federal labour standards, Bell was required to give the government 16 weeks' notice of these layoffs. I'm curious as to whether or not that was given.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We complied with all legislation as it relates to the actions that were taken with respect to the positions in question.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I want to confirm then that you gave 16 weeks' notice that these layoffs were going to take place in February.
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We complied with all requirements as they relate to the process by which we were permitted to reduce the positions in question.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I understand, so according to the federal labour standards, you were supposed to give 16 weeks' notice or seek an exemption. Which one was it?
4:05 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We complied with all the requirements with respect to federal labour laws in this respect.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Right. I'm curious. Did you seek the exemption or did you give the 16 weeks' notice to the government?
4:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
We complied with all requirements that were imposed under federal law.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Bibic, is there a reason why you're evading the question?
There are only two choices here. You either had to seek an exemption based on the code, or you had to give 16 weeks' notice. Which one was it?
4:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
Robert, do you have a precise answer to that?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
Thank you for the question.