Mr. Malcolmson, go ahead.
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.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
The question has been asked and answered now, I think, four times. We have complied with applicable federal legislation. If you require more detail, we're happy to provide it. We've fully complied with our labour legislation requirements in implementing this workforce reduction.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I'm sorry. I'm baffled as to why a straight answer is not being granted.
There are two options here. Either 16 weeks' notice had to be given to the Government of Canada that these layoffs were taking place, or an exemption had to be granted by the Government of Canada. It is one of these two options.
Which one did Bell take?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
I think we've answered the question—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
No, sir, with all due respect, I don't think you have. I think you continue to evade the question, which looks rather shady and as if Bell has something to hide.
What are you hiding?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
In the short time we're being given to answer your questions, we are telling you that—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
The short time...? You know that either you provided notice or you sought an exemption. That's not difficult. You two lead the company. Why do you not have answers to these questions?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
What we know is that we complied—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
You laid off 6,100 people, and you don't know the process that you followed to do that.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
We know the process, and we complied with—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Bibic, did you receive $13 million? This is what you get paid $13 million for?
4:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BCE Inc.
To the hon. member, we've answered the question. There's actually—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Bibic, you have not been able to answer a single one of my questions directly today.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
Mrs. Thomas, we complied with labour legislation. We gave the requisite notice, and we complied. You asked the question. We gave the notice. We're compliant.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
You have two choices. Either you gave 16 weeks' notice, or you sought an exemption.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
We gave notice, as I just said.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
We gave the requisite notice, yes.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Sixteen weeks ahead of time, you gave notice to the government that you were going to lay off 4,800 people?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
I've answered the question. We gave the requisite required notice in connection with the restructuring, yes.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
The requisite notice was the notice that we gave, depending on which element of the workforce was affected.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, BCE Inc.
It may have varied. That is why I have offered to provide complete details in terms of who we notified and when, in compliance with our requirements.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative