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October 11th, 2016

Executive bonuses should not trump pensioners

HAMILTON – New Democrats are calling on the Liberal government to protect pensioners whose former employers have filed for bankruptcy. Recent examples of Nortel and US Steel Canada have seen executives and accountants received millions in payouts while pensioners are left waiting.

“The system is broken,” said Scott Duvall, NDP Critic for Pensions. “How can you tell these workers that it’s ok for executives to get big bonuses while pensioners get shafted?”

Reports show Nortel’s former managers have received nearly $200 million in so-called ‘retention bonuses,’ while lawyers and accountants have collected more than $2.5 billion to settle the company’s accounts since Nortel filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Similar bonuses were paid out to ‘key employees’ from US Steel Canada while benefits for the company’s workers were denied.

“In previous parliaments, the Liberals supported NDP bills that would have put workers first,” said Duvall. “Now that they’re in government I hope that the Liberals haven’t forgotten their morals.”