The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats grilled BCE chief executive officer Mirko Bibic during often combative exchanges at a meeting of the House of Commons heritage committee on Thursday afternoon. A Canadian Press dispatch to the Post says that lawmakers had ordered him to appear and answer for the cuts, which affect 9 per cent of BCE's work force. In February, the company announced it was cutting 4,800 jobs, ending multiple TV newscasts and selling 45 radio stations. "The idea you saw fit to take substantial bonuses and equity packages at a time your workers, employees and journalists could have had their jobs saved is a bit disappointing," Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed told Mr. Bibic. Conservative heritage critic Rachael Thomas said it was "really rich" for a company worth $40-billion and which received government subsidies to lay off its workers. Mr. Bibic blamed factors such as productivity, inflation and delays in the implementation of the federal Online Streaming Act -- a new law meant to level the playing field between traditional broadcasters and streaming companies, under which Bell is benefiting from significant regulatory relief.