The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that BCE paid its executives more than $5-million in bonuses, including nearly $2.4-million to chief executive officer Mirko Bibic, after a year in which its stock dropped 30 per cent, sales and profits declined and the company laid off 4,800 workers. The Globe's Irene Galea writes that despite the large payout, Mr. Bibic's bonus declined nearly 20 per cent from 2023. Mr. Bibic made $12.8-million in 2024, down from $13.4-million in 2023. Stock awards valued at $8-million made up the bulk of his pay in both years. Last year was a difficult one for the telcos over all. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, BCE had the worst shareholder return in 2024 of the Big Three, with a decline of 30 per cent, including dividends. BCE's decline was largely the result of investor reaction to its $5-billion acquisition of U.S.-based Ziply Fiber, and the accompanying pause in annual dividend growth for the first time in 16 years. The company had previously signalled it would use cash it planned to raise from the sale of its $4.7-billion stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to Rogers in part to pay down debt, and investors balked at the perceived change in strategy.