Workers Laid Off, Executives Cash In: NDP Says Enough is Enough

HAMILTON – As Canadians struggle to keep up with rising costs, a new report reveals that executives at Hudson’s Bay pocketed big bonuses—while hundreds of workers are being laid off without severance. The NDP is calling it out as a clear example of what’s at stake in the next election: Who’s really going to fight for working people—and who’s protecting the rich and powerful?

“When an iconic Canadian retailer is gutted by American investors, it’s workers who lose their jobs, their stability, and their dignity—while the bosses walk away with bonuses,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “This is exactly what happens when we let billionaires run the show.”

According to a CBC report, HBC executives handed out “retention” bonuses and payouts to insiders while over 9,300 were laid off and denied proper compensation. It’s part of a larger trend of American-owned firms buying up Canadian companies, stripping them for parts, and leaving workers behind.

“Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre won’t stop this. Carney made millions at Brookfield, a firm that built its business on turning economic stress into opportunity for investors at the expense of working and middle-class people. Poilievre wants to sell off even more of Canada—public transit, our services, even our land—to the highest bidder,” Singh said.

Only the NDP will fight back against corporate greed, protect Canadian jobs, and make sure workers aren’t left holding the bag while executives cash in.

“When the people who built these companies get tossed aside and the ones at the top get richer—that’s not just wrong, it’s a choice,” Singh added. “We’re choosing a different path. We’ll stop this kind of corporate exploitation, and we’ll always fight for the people getting screwed.”