Evidence of meeting #28 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Would you characterize the conversation with Mr. Medline as trying to obtain a tacit agreement on wages?
Conservative
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
It was to get information, to have more information to make my own decision.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I guess I will just go back to the opening statements made by everyone here, all of our witnesses. There were a lot of very verbose statements made about the pandemic pay being for pride in the workers, but then what we have is executives talking to each other and asking questions about wage, per your own admission, Mr. La Flèche, and others. This really was about trying to make, to use your own words, a decision that was in the best interests of the company.
How can you reconcile those conversations with your assertions that this decision was made in the best interests of workers?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
With all due respect, I don't accept your premise that this was coordination, collusion or anything untoward. Everything was above board and within legal boundaries. I can say that wholeheartedly. I have no issue with what we did, what information we got and how we got it. Everything is above board. We have nothing to hide. We gave a premium to—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
If your assertion is that it was within legal boundaries—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
—would you make the assertion that it was within ethical boundaries for your employees?
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I'm not sure what else more to ask, Madam Chair. I'll cede my time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sherry Romanado
Thank you very much.
Our next round of questions goes to MP Erskine-Smith.
You have the floor for five minutes.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Thanks very much.
Business is booming, profits are coming in in record numbers and, Mr. La Flèche, you are proactively reaching out to your competitors to say, “When can we cut pandemic wages? Are you going to be cutting them? I'm really interested in knowing when you're going to cut them”. Is that fair? Is that a fair characterization of—
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
No, that's not the way I presented it. That's not the way I look at it. That's not the way I approach it, no. With all due respect, again I disagree with that.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
I'll leave the remainder of those kinds of questions to the Competition Bureau.
How much did each of you earn in total compensation in 2019?
Ms. Davis.
President, Loblaw Companies Limited
I think the information that's in our proxy circular is around $6.8 million.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
Again, it's public information. You can look up the proxy. I don't think it's the subject of today's hearing and questioning.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
You know it, but you're just not answering my question?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
I earn a good living. I have nothing to hide and I'm proud of what I'm paid. I think I earned what I got.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
If you were proud of what you earned, you would say it.
Mr. Medline.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Empire Company Limited
It's not to the right number—you'll have to check the proxy—but it's around $5 million, I think, including grants of long-term compensation.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
We can expect, Mr. La Flèche, that it's in the neighbourhood of your colleagues'. Is that fair?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro inc.
It is, yes. It's in that neighbourhood.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Medline was less clear about his belief in a progressive living wage, but Ms. Davis and Mr. La Flèche, you've each said you believe in a progressive living wage. Now we've been told by union members that 90% of essential front-line workers are part time; they don't receive fixed schedules and they don't receive full benefits. They are critical to our national food security, but many face food insecurity themselves because of a lack of a living, meaningful and progressive minimum wage.
When a company earns record profits, when you are individually earning millions of dollars, when the risk and anxiety that persists among your essential workers has not gone away, how can you in good conscience put profits before people in a pandemic?
Ms. Davis.