The CCPA (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) put out a fun graphic on their site yesterday which has really caught the fancy of the Media in Canada. The graphic is an updating graphic showing the Clash for Cash: CEO vs. Average Joe which gives you an idea how much some of the top 100 CEOs in Canada make in compensation.
This kind of tool is always useful to show folks just how much is spent on the top end of the management tree in many of Canada’s largest companies. The actual numbers suggest that a CEO makes about 189 times what an average employee makes in a year (but the graphic is just so much more fun to look at).
The question does arise from this simple ratio, are the CEOs of Canada’s Elite 100 companies really worth the $8.38 Million (on average) that they make every year? I have no idea, but my opinion is that the reason these folks make what they make, is that they have convinced someone they are worth that, and thus they get that kind of compensation. Is this fair? Fair doesn’t really come into it, if the company is successful, then the CEO has earned their pay, and if they don’t they are fired, that should be the way it works (although in some cases like Nortel you had to wonder what was going on).
The mainstream media seems fixated on pointing out the 1% that make so much money and such, but I’d like to point out that there are a couple of Hockey players earning that much, a few more NFL Football players, even more Basketball Players, and pretty much every baseball player that earn that kind of compensation as well. Is that fair? Some billionaire is willing to make a Multi-Millionaire out of someone who is talented at their job, that is just what happens in this world.
Do I like all of this? Hell no, I’d love to make that kind of money myself, but if I did, just think how much folks who were more talented might make?
I do still like the graphic as well:
CEO Income, REAL BIG
If you go to the link (click on the picture) you’ll see it being updated (which makes it that much more depressing).
There is a big brew-ha-ha in Peterborough about the executives and board @ the hospital earning a ton but also getting a wack of other benefits (like $1k / mo for personal vehicle use). Can’t say I don’t get angry too.
Same is true here in Ottawa and a Gratis top up of a very generous pension too!
Yeah, I agree it doesn’t really matter if they are ‘worth it” or not as long as they are doing the things to make the company successful.
Although, truth be told I only really invest in companies that the CEO isn’t getting some ridiculous pay. Some CEO’s have/get enough stocks that they don’t need a yearly pay and that’s the CEO that I’d rather have as they are just as interested in seeing the company be successful as I am!