CBC CEO Catherine Tait donated to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Tait have gone tit-for-tat several times over the past few months, with the former fundraising on his commitment to defund the CBC should he become prime minister.
As first reported by True North, CBC CEO Catherine Tait donated to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid, according to filings with the United States Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Tait's contribution record revealed she donated $150 to the Clinton campaign in 2015, nearly two years before she became president and CEO of the state broadcaster. It listed her address in Brooklyn, New York, raising questions about the CEO's relationship with the U.S.
According to the CBC, Tait was required to take a second residence in Canada to comply with the broadcaster's requirements.
PM @JustinTrudeau is triggered by "American billionaire" @elonmusk labeling a public broadcaster but won't say a word about the CBC's CEO, Catherine Tait, being an American Democrat donor@FEC records show Tait contributed to Hillary Clinton's run for president in 2016. pic.twitter.com/JxJeBgGV6Q
— Cosmin Dzsurdzsa 🇷🇴 (@cosminDZS) April 18, 2023
After Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre requested Twitter denote the CBC as "government-funded media" last week, their CEO Elon Musk obliged, having recently labelled other outlets as such, including the BBC.
"As a result, and in the interest of transparency, I believe that Twitter should apply the Government-funded Media label to the CBC's various news-related accounts," wrote Poilievre, who accused Tait of coming after him to get more taxpayer subsidies.
Last year, the CBC received $1.24 billion from the government — 66% of CBC/Radio Canada's funding. In February, Tait claimed they have worked with the same budget as 30 years ago — "so in real dollars, a third less."
The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) estimates that the CBC has cost Canadian taxpayers approximately $80 billion since 1937.
Poilievre and Tait have gone tit-for-tat several times over the past few months, with the former fundraising on his commitment to defund the CBC should he become prime minister.
Despite getting $1.4 billion in government funding, Canada's state broadcaster is taking issue with Twitter's decision to brand it 'government-funded.'
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 18, 2023
MORE: https://t.co/ROJwukBYVN pic.twitter.com/R4sc94mFLN
"We must protect Canadians against disinformation and manipulation by state media," Poilievre tweeted on April 11. "Canadians deserve the facts."
Tait has accused the Tory leader of "bashing" the CBC and "inciting attacks" against them.
During an interview with the Globe and Mail in February, Tait fired back at the Tories, claiming "there are a group of dissenters and detractors, and they have been given voice."
"They have a megaphone, and they're using it," she said.
On Tait, Poilievre claimed she is a "mouthpiece for Justin Trudeau."
"They're not even pretending to be unbiased," he said.
Justin Trudeau says the media is there to ask "tough questions" but actively dodges and defames Rebel News for asking him questions that put him on the spot. pic.twitter.com/gseUAc5c2N
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 17, 2023
In response to the label, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed Poilievre campaigned for "an American billionaire" for criticizing the state broadcaster.
"When they're trying to attack a foundational Canadian institution, the fact that he has to run to American billionaires for support to attack Canadians says a lot about Mr. Poilievre and his values," said Trudeau.
Rebel News challenged Ottawa in Federal Court twice to permit entry into press conferences held by the federal government.
Trudeau claimed the outlet spread "misinformation" and "disinformation" concerning COVID and claimed its members need to take "accountability" for "polarizing" Canadians.
If I were petty and wished to stoop to the level of the @albertaNDP I would have accused them of “Islamophobia” for denying me access to the press conference.
— Alex Dhaliwal (@westcdnfirst) April 17, 2023
But I won’t — because I’m not a victim owing to my faith or skin colour.
Rather than have meaningful dialogue on… https://t.co/r9twOyltEp
According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the number of CBC staffers taking home six-figure salaries has increased yearly since Trudeau became prime minister. The taxpayers' group obtained records detailing the state broadcaster's pay raises through an access-to-information request.
During the 2015/16 fiscal year, 438 full-time CBC employees took home six-figure salaries that cost taxpayers about $59.5 million. By the 2021/22 fiscal year, the CBC had 949 full-time employees who took home six-figure wages, costing about $119.5 million.
"Taxpayers don't need all these CBC employees making six figures," said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. "What value are taxpayers getting from all these extra CBC staffers with big salaries?"
Despite operating during financially feeble times, internal records uncovered that the state broadcaster did not cease expansion efforts during the COVID pandemic. The CBC cost taxpayers $1.2 billion in 2021, which included $21 million in "immediate operational support" to ensure its "stability during the pandemic."
In November 2022, the taxpayers' group reported that the CBC paid more than $156 million in bonuses and pay raises since 2015 — an average annual bonus and pay raise of $14,200 and $1,800, respectively.
As first reported by Rebel News, Conservative MP Dean Allison tabled documents in Parliament that unveiled Ottawa had requested social media companies remove 214 posts between January 2020 and February 2023.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 19, 2023
MORE: https://t.co/5I4l3mHB36 pic.twitter.com/RQnG2Ln9qU
Don't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.