The Opposition likens the hiring of an expensive consultant by Nalcor to the patronage appointment of Carla Foote by The Rooms. Minister Christopher Mitchelmore had to apologize in the House of Assembly and surrender some ministerial pay for the role he played in having Foote—a lifelong Liberal—hired at a salary of $130,000.

Gordan McIntosh, a former deputy minister of natural resources, was involved in government’s Advance 2030 plan, and went on to accept a salary of $350,000 annually with Nalcor.

Opposition leader Ches Crosbie first raised the matter in the House of Assembly last spring, and says a clear pattern is emerging as it relates to the Liberal government and patronage.

Crosbie says the chair of the board of Nalcor is saying that they were ordered by government to create the position as well as a budget for it.

The PC Leader says that is different from what the Minister of Natural Resources told the House last spring—that the position was being paid out of an existing budget.