We goofed on Boeing chairman’s salary: CAQ
In the heat of the moment, mistakes get made.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), the second opposition party in the National Assembly, conceded Thursday it made a serious error when it claimed Bombardier’s chairman Pierre Beaudoin was being grossly overpaid compared to industry standards.
Questioning Premier Philippe Couillard in the debate over Bombardier executive salary increases, CAQ Leader François Legault asked how Quebec can tolerate to pay Beaudoin $5 million a year when Dennis A. Muilenburg, the chairman and CEO of the giant Boeing aircraft manufacturing company, earned a mere US$326,000 a year ($437,950).
Turns out Muilenburg, in 2016, actually earned US$15 million, a number confirmed to the Montreal Gazette by Boeing corporate spokesperson Chaz Bickers.
The $15 million includes a base salary of US$1.64 million, stock awards of US$5.2 million and incentive compensation totalling US$6.43 million.
We had the wrong person. We took a regular board member ... who earns US$326,000. We made a mistake.
“We had the wrong person,” CAQ spokesperson Émilie Toussaint said.
“We took a regular board member, an administrator, who earns US$326,000. We made a mistake.”
The CAQ also continues to say Beaudoin is earning $5 million a year. In fact, he renounced an increase that would have brought his salary to $5 million. His salary is staying at $3.8 million.
The premier’s office was far from amused by the CAQ’s error.
“François Legault once again demonstrates his lack of rigour and reliability in publishing erroneous information,” said Couillard’s spokesman Charles Robert. “The leader of the CAQ, once again, preferred to put on a show for the television cameras rather than participate honestly in the debate.
“François Legault and his team often act impulsively and without reflection. It has become their trademark.”
The incident took place in a week where the Bombardier salary question dominated question period in the legislature.
The opposition parties tried to get the legislature to call for the increases to be cancelled, but the Liberals stuck with Bombardier despite public anger. The Liberals blocked or voted down four different resolutions on the issue.