A little something extra

Ken Whyte, the current editor and publisher of Maclean's, testifying at the Conrad Black criminal trial in Chicago, said that he got a C$100,000 bonus from the peer for services rendered while editor of the National Post, according to a story in the Globe and Mail. While this is chicken feed compared with the other numbers being bandied about, it was yet again revealing of the affection and regard that Black has for Whyte.

Ms. Ruder [prosecutor Julie] questioned Mr. Whyte about a $100,000 (Canadian) bonus he received from Hollinger in 2003. At the time, Mr. Whyte was editor of the National Post, which Hollinger had sold to CanWest Global Communications Corp.

Lord Black arranged the bonus even though he was bound by a five-year agreement with CanWest not to induce or recruit National Post managers, Ms. Ruder said.

Mr. Whyte said the bonus related to his previous work at Hollinger. He added that he did not know the details of Lord Black's non-competition agreement.

Apparently, even after selling his Canadian holdings, Black was angling to do other deals in the U.S. and involving Whyte in running them.