Like her former vice-president of the French section, Michel Bissonnette, Radio-Canada’s big boss, Catherine Tait, received refunds for plane tickets to Europe that totaled about $10,000.
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The Journal noted that Radio-Canada/CBC president and CEO Ms. Tait traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland, in November 2021 to meet senior leaders of the International Olympic Committee; A round trip cost $9,786, according to the Proactive Disclosure section of the Radio-Canada/CBC website.
Ms. Tait’s expense reports show that the total cost of reimbursement for her airline tickets from July 2019 to July 2023 totals $89,030, while her total expenses over the same period are $164,719.
For example, in February 2020, the head of the state company recorded expenses of $7,285 for air travel to the Berlin Film Festival. Then, in March 2022, a business trip by Ms Tait to London, Geneva and Brussels – the purpose of this visit this time was to meet CBC employees working in London, as well as the CEO of the BBC and the President of the European Broadcasting Union, among others $9,230. At the end of the same year, the CEO also recorded $7,107 in expenses for airline tickets to a business event in Tokyo.
According to Radio-Canada, the rule is being followed
Asked by Le Journal about these amounts, Radio-Canada/CBC headquarters maintains that Ms. Tait’s aviation-related expenses “respect management and board business travel rules.” »
“ [la règle] stipulates that you can book business class for journeys over 850 km (one way),” we were told via email on Tuesday. “Our trips are carried out consistently and responsibly in compliance with the above regulations for business trips. »
Expensive flights to the West
Nevertheless, according to reports published by Radio-Canada/CBC, we note that Ms. Tait has visited Western Canada more than once since the beginning of this year, particularly to fly to Vancouver, Edmonton and Regina – business class flights that each cost more than $3,000, the most expensive was the one to Edmonton at $3,847.
Airline tickets make up a large portion of expenses
2019
- Total cost: $33,310
- Airline tickets: $20,876
2020
- Total cost: $18,388
- Airline tickets: $11,840
2021
- Total cost: $13,661
- Airline tickets: $9786
2022
- Total cost: $68,125
- Airline tickets: $30,985
2023
- Total cost: $31,235
- Airline tickets: $15,543