QUESTION PERIOD — International Trade
Export Development Canada
September 26, 2024
Liberal leader, over the past year or so, I have put written questions on the Senate Order Paper asking for information on bonuses handed out through Crown corporations under this wasteful NDP-Liberal government.
I learned that between 2019 and 2023, Export Development Canada, or EDC, paid over $176 million in bonuses. According to a response tabled in the Senate, the average bonus per employee at EDC in 2023 worked out to over $19,000.
Leader, how does the NDP-Liberal government justify these bonuses when Canadians are at food banks in record numbers?
As the senator very well knows, being someone with great experience in business, in politics and in this chamber, remuneration, whether in the private sector or in certain areas such as this, is a combination of salary, incentives and the like. Without knowing the terms of the contracts, performance metrics, objectives or how the people in question received that, it would be impossible to answer intelligently.
I will only say that assuming a bonus someone received for their work was somehow not deserved is once again impugning not only the integrity of those responsible but the systems that are in place in public and private life to properly reward people for an honest day’s work.
Of course, to suggest that I impugned anything is false. I asked a question: How do you justify it? What did they do to deserve these bonuses when everybody else is going hungry?
The response I received also shows that, last year alone, top executives at EDC were paid a combined $1.8 million in bonuses. Leader, are you going to defend that as well? Bring us the information as to why they received these bonuses.
I do not necessarily think it is appropriate to bring to this chamber individual employment contracts or records of performance. I find it extraordinary. I stand by my earlier comment, senator, but am delighted that you received the answers to your questions.
