Top CBC executives said Friday they are considering options to manage the broadcaster鈥檚 financial pressures, including taking a look at 鈥渟enior executive compensation,鈥� following plans to slash 10 per cent of the public broadcaster鈥檚 workforce.

CBC/Radio-Canada head Catherine Tait and seven vice-presidents released a brief statement that afternoon, after MPs of different political stripes voiced concern about the plan to cut 600 jobs and not fill 200 vacancies over the next year.

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鈥淲e are aware of the concerns that have been expressed following the announcement of cuts at CBC/Radio-Canada, as well as questions about remuneration, particularly senior executive compensation tied to performance,鈥� the statement read.

鈥淭o be clear, all possible measures are being considered in the context of managing our financial pressures in the months ahead, including senior executive compensation.鈥�

Tait announced job cuts earlier in the week, saying the move was necessary to make up for a $125-million shortfall.

As a Crown corporation, CBC operates independently of Parliament. It receives roughly $1 billion in federal funding each year.

Political leaders have expressed concern about the impact the job cuts will have on its programming, especially for French-language audiences both in Quebec and outside the province.

Tait drew further criticism after saying on CBC鈥檚 The National that it was 鈥渢oo early鈥� to say whether executives would receive bonuses this year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 too early to say where we are for this year,鈥� Tait replied to a question from host Adrienne Arsenault. 鈥淲e鈥檒l be looking at that, like we do all our line items in the coming months.鈥�

Following her remarks, CBC spokesman Leon Mar clarified that the broadcaster would not be reconsidering the bonuses it would have paid under existing contracts.

Documents released under access-to-information requests show that between 2015 and last year, more than $99 million was paid out in bonuses to employees at the public broadcaster, including $16 million paid to more than 1,000 employees in 2022.

According to CBC, such payments are part of what it calls a 鈥渟hort-term incentive plan鈥� meant to encourage employees to hit or surpass business targets.

In their statement on Friday, the senior executives said they are 鈥渃ommitted to minimizing the effect of cuts on our programs and services to Canadians and on our workforce.鈥�

On Thursday, MPs on the parliamentary heritage committee voted to have Tait testify about the planned cuts and her position that the broadcaster had not ruled out paying bonuses.

Liberal, Conservative and New Democrat MPs on the committee universally expressed that they did not feel it would be appropriate for CBC executives to receive bonuses while it planned to cut its workforce.

With the House of Commons preparing to pause for the holidays, Tait鈥檚 appearance is expected to happen in 2024.

鈥� With files from Mickey Djuric.

Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press