OTTAWA -- Air Canada is heading for a bout of political turbulence as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland signalled her displeasure over millions in bonuses to the airline's executives as the company negotiated a federal bailout.
The government also paid $500 million for a six per cent stake in the country's biggest airline, which Freeland says was done to ensure taxpayers could benefit once Air Canada's revenue rose once regular travel resumed."That gives us a voice in decisions taken by the company, and we will not shy away from using that voice to express our very reasonable view of what constitutes responsible corporate behaviour," Freeland said.
The government sees the program as an avenue to flow aid to recovering businesses as it winds down the wage subsidy, which has provided over $80 billion in aid to date. The official launch can't happen until Parliament approves the Liberals' budget bill, but the government is promising payments to be retroactive to June 6.
As part of her travel plans, Freeland said she consulted the country's chief public health officer, got tested for COVID-19 earlier this week, and plans to take precautions while at the meetings and then finally staying in a government-quarantine hotel before isolating in her home."I undertake this trip with great reluctance because I think it is important for all of us to stay as close to home as possible," Freeland said.
Take the money back. Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying executive bonuses! privilege
Little to late
So these CEO's laid off 20000 workers to save busines and then awarded themselves a bonus...something is seriously lopsided here. Their bonuses should've ben first cut made...
Perfect example of how corporate leaders abuse business ethics. If you or I did this in our small businesses we’d be charge with fraud or embezzlement.
Voice concerns? How scary!(sarcasm)..take back taxpayer money NOW!
'Voice concerns'... yeah that's sure to work.
Perhaps we should should put some condition in place before throwing $$$ at private companies
Voice concerns that’ll show them
Maybe it's about time for the lower income and poor to EatTheRich because clearly they are out of touch. AirCanada executives who got the bonus should have thier names released.
And take zero action lmao
“Voice concerns” !? bitch I want my money back
We already know that cafreeland will do absolutely nothing – because that's what Libservatives do. Nothing.
That’s it? What about giving the money back?
I expect JustinTrudeau to do more than voice concerns. Unless the working class thing was just a bit? Seems this government is more interested in maintaining the status quo than creating change.
Love it, 'voice concerns.' What a government we have.
JustinTrudeau cafreeland we, the taxpayers want our 6 billion dollars back from AirCanada . With interest. + penalties for them being so worthless and greedy, so if you could tack on another billion or so, that would be great.
I don’t want concerns voiced. I want action. All executive bonuses need to be paid back in full. If court action is necessary, so be it. These executives cannot be allowed to pillage taxpayer money while thousands were laid off and the company needed money just to survive.
Voicing concerns will do nothing - as the saying goes talk is cheap. The government should have included a clause in the bailout - any bonuses paid out will be subtracted from the final bailout figure.
Concern? Imagine if Revenue Canada had the same attitude about delinquent tax payers
Liberals should voice their concern on the Muskoka News because that's where all these free-loading execs are.
They should forfeit
Utterly disgusting
Will that be when you board one of Air Canada’s planes?
This is Canada to the rest of the world.
Weird how the rich keep getting richer....
AirCanada fear ya not!!! scamdemic TrudeauDictatorship
The deal had a cap on bonuses they CHOSE $ for themselves = Take back our tax dollars from a private company. Sick of large companies padding RICH private pockets JustinTrudeau
Ha! What a bunch of chumps we all are.
boycottAirCanada 😡😡
Voice concerns? Softly and gently give them money. WTF.
Voice concerns? Well, that's scary lol.
Yeah, right, that'll happen.
Get evey cent back
Another “Political Corporate Lobbyist” handing out taxpayer dollars, what’s becoming the Corporate Norm - “Immunity from Prosecution”! Big Pharma loves clause in all contracts as they fleece Gov-Reps during this Pandemic! Talk, next cocktail party?
Well I am reassured now then!
Government is supposed to be working for the people not for the big corporations. Isn’t that what Trudeau and Freeland are always preaching Government doesn’t voice concern when it comes to how to spend taxpayers money. Government should do better!
I am sure their shaking in their boots at AC board room. Or laughing their heads off.
Why doesn’t Freeland ask Air Canada either take back those bonuses paid to executives or give back tax payers money!
Freeland is disappointed and is going to voice concerns, like that will make them feel bad and return the money they never deserved to receive in the first place! Why doesn’t government voice concern instead of issuing late fee when we are late one day in retuning income tax?
Voice concerns? You got played, time to play hardball!
Oh god!! Not a voicing of the opposition!? What’s next? A firmly worded letter? Ohhh snap!!!
you idiots are going to ‘voice concerns’, really! Instead of voicing concerns, why not demand the money back.if I took the tax money I owed, and said screw you government, I’m going to spend my money on a trip, or a boat or a new car, I’m sure you idiots would just voice concerns
Voice concerns I think you meant to say 'we'll expect you to immediately repay the amount you gave Executives through bonuses.'
Voice concerns! They should be condemned ffs.
A bit late now guys. Maybe for next year's bailouts you can add a little clause suspending bonuses as a condition.
Have you ever read her book, or even reviews for her book? She DGAF.
That should be helpful...not.
Wtf? Tell them tax money is not for that. You already screwed up if you didn't have it as part of the deal.
'Voice Concerns' huh?
Ohhh... I'm sure they're terrified about voiced concerns. We need a UBI to even begin levelling the playing field. Liberals CanadianPM WeakLibs
Voice concerns... better get the money back
Let’s see how many of these current politicians are on the board of Air Canada in the next few years. I don’t think we have to look too far.
“ Voicing concern”, what exactly is this going to do ?
'Voice concerns?' bullshit! The Libs wont do a dammed thing! another big buizz taking advantage of corporate welfare. Time to start cutting these fat bastards off, such as CBC, Bombardier, and Air Canada, you cant make it in the free enterprise system, well that's just to bad
Why? Didn’t they get their share?
Lol. “Voice Concerns”. Useless government.
You mean ask for their cut
I would of thought it would be a condition of the bailout.
“voice concerns”....that ranks right up there with “thoughts and prayers”. 🙄
Voice concerns Well perhaps add a stern expression while you're at it...maybe that will help.... Ridiculous.
Rightfully so......but in the end, what will actually be done?
Wag your finger, too?!
Stop the bailout .... simple
never mind voicing concerns - demand immediate return of ALL funds loaned to them to help them stay afloat.
But hound the plebs to get their CERB back
But the bonuses went out as Fed's where signing agreement. Should of asked the question before signing. Dumb, dumb!!
wow!! that will do it !!!
Who cares about voices cafreeland we want action. The action is executive bonuses result in the govt calling in the loan!
Not too loudly though as probably many of those executives are Liberal supporters.
No problem with government helping out businesses during the pandemic. NO way should the government’s monies be used for executive bonuses! Just who are these deadbeat executives names? They must have the morals of a alley cat I’d love to have them explain their justification !
Oh wow! That carries a ton of weight....feds voicing their concerns over AC!! LMFAO. Justdumb and his band of idiots....
LMFAO. Like telling a career criminal to 'please stop it'
How about being concerned about the general public in Ontario who were locked out of Jobs thanxxx to that ass hat fordnation
This happens every few years. Why so upset? Nothing new. Trudeau doing it. Harper did it. Chrétien did it. Mulroney did it. On and on. Bail out AC is a normal pay day. They know it’s coming again in a few years. PC or Lib. It will happen.
if they have $$$ to toss bonuses about to the executives .... they probably do not need much of a taxpayer bail out cdnpoli
AirCanada shame on your executives for being so greet and nefarious...now if JustinTrudeau and his cohort had any back bone the total amount of the bonuses would be deducted from the bail out packages. cafreeland show leadership, hold them accountable.
Canada needs a Bureau of Concerned Voices.
Oh please. Why not just slap the taxpayer across the face, it would be more honest. 🤔
This will keep happening until you can figure out a way to create a disincentive
As someone who runs a small business, I turned down CEWS, even though it would help. Because it's not right to take government cash if you are surviving in spite of COVID. This corporate criminality has to be stopped. If you get 1 taxpayer penny - 0 zero bonuses, full stop.
Ooooooooooooo I’m so scared
Big deal! How about tell them to stop being so arrogant.
Lol finger wag wink wink. Another Quebec based company getting tax dollars from the Liberals.
She is concerned about executive bonus at AC but nothing about 215 Indigenous bodies being murdered and discovered? She is truly Liberal🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ Liberaks do not care about Indigenous children, people nor communities🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
🤬🤬Make sure it's all the higher-up people in Canada, like the hydro one their CEO is expecting a 2 million $ bonus along with the head of hospitals and all the other Corporations that have Executives. They sit behind a desk most of the time, don't actually work.
No more corporate bailouts and no more corporate tax cuts!
I should hope so...I’m an executive in the hotel sector and don’t see a bonus coming for years. Air Canada should be ashamed of themselves.
So nothing will happen. Thanks. 10s of millions could have supported 100s of businesses that closed.
Where's my bailout?
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