Evidence of meeting #118 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 cbcradio-canada.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Catherine Tait  President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Marco Dubé  Chief Transformation Officer and Executive Vice-President, People and Culture, CBC/Radio-Canada

4:15 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

That's actually fiscal year 2023-24. For that year, we have not issued any performance pay, because we have not yet reviewed the final results of the year that ended on March 31, 2024.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Ms. Tait, you are head of the management team. You confirmed, at our last committee meeting, that it is you and your management team who make that decision with regard to bonuses that are given out. You confirmed that the decision is made “by” no later than the end of March of 2024. You then made the comment that the board would have to sign off on that recommendation “in June”.

I understand that the sign-off is coming up, but you do know what the recommendation is. As of the end of March of 2024, what is the recommendation for your 2023 bonus?

4:15 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

As I've said previously, these conversations are subject to internal deliberations by the management team to the board of directors. We have not had that conversation with the board. That is scheduled for June 12 and 13. We will have that conversation, at which point the final results will have been audited and reviewed by the Auditor General. We don't simply precipitously pre-announce results when we haven't had the privilege of the auditor and our internal audit process.

Again, those final results are being assembled right now. They will be made available at the beginning—

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Ms. Tait, have you been assigned a bonus for 2023? I realize that the board hasn't signed off on it, but have you been assigned a bonus for 2023?

4:15 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

No. I have not.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

You have not been assigned a bonus for 2023.

4:15 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

No. I have not.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

So for 2023, there is no bonus coming your way.

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

I do not know that I have a bonus, because the process, as we have described, for Governor in Council positions is separate from performance pay. My process is that I will be evaluated by the board of directors. A letter of recommendation will go to the government. The government will reflect upon whether or not I or other appointees—

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Ms. Tait—

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

—would receive any performance pay.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Ms. Tait, has the board package for that June meeting gone out?

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

No. Okay, because you are member of that board.

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

So you not only have a say with regard to bonuses for the top executives, yourself included; you have a say, not only in March, when you're a member of the management team, the most senior member of the management team, but then you get a second say at the board level. With all due respect, you do have a fair bit of power in terms of bonuses.

I'll ask again: Will you be up for a bonus in the consideration at the board meeting in June?

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

As I've said previously, this is part of an internal deliberation. It's an HR function. We have to be respectful of the governance—

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

But, Ms. Tait, you do know the answer.

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

—that rules the CBC/Radio-Canada.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

But you do know the answer.

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

I absolutely do not know the answer.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

You have zero clue.

4:20 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada

Catherine Tait

Until I've had those deliberations with the board of directors, I cannot pre-emptively say what the results of the conversation, a future conversation, will be.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Sure—but you know what the recommendation is.

4:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry

You have 39 seconds.