OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing 69 per cent of Canadians oppose the $18.4 million in bonuses the CBC is paying out this year. 

“The results of the poll are crystal clear: the vast majority of Canadians don’t support the CBC paying out bonuses with our tax dollars,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “This poll should be a wake-up call for CBC President Catherine Tait and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that these taxpayer-funded bonuses must end.”

The CBC is paying out $18.4 million in bonuses this year. The CBC’s bonuses have cost taxpayers $132 million since 2015. 

The Leger poll asked Canadians if they support or oppose the CBC paying out more than $18 million in bonuses this year. The results of the poll show:

• 69 per cent oppose CBC bonuses
• 16 per cent support CBC bonuses
• 15 per cent don’t know

Among those who are decided on the issue, 81 per cent of Canadians oppose the CBC bonuses.

The CBC will cost taxpayers $1.4 billion this year.

“Canadians don’t support the government wasting our money paying out big bonuses to CBC executives,” Terrazzano said. “If Tait isn’t willing to do the right thing and cancel the bonuses, then the heritage minister, finance minister or Trudeau must step in and end the CBC’s taxpayer-funded bonuses.”

Even Friends of Canadian Media, an advocacy organization that believes “Canadians deserve a strong and vital CBC,” has spoken out against the bonuses.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about CBC/Radio-Canada’s decision to award $18 million in bonuses, just months after the announcement of significant job cuts,” said Marla Boltman, Executive Director of Friends of Canadian Media, in a recent newsletter. “This decision is deeply out of touch and unbefitting of our national public broadcaster.”