Justin Trudeau refused Monday to denounce Bombardier for enriching its executives even as the company rakes in nearly $1 billion in taxpayer money, drawing opposition charges that the Liberals are on wobbly legs when it comes to standing up for the middle class.

Bombardier will defer more than half of the US$32.6 million the executives received in compensation in 2016 until 2020.

Bombardier is defending its executive pay structure in the face of a public uproar over a hefty increase in compensation to senior management.