Tory player gets $25Gs contract
Consultant will give advice to Harris

Toronto Sun - Saturday January 23, 1999
By James Wallace -- Queen's Park Bureau

Tory communications guru Paul Rhodes is back working for his old boss.

Rhodes, who was recently awarded a $225,000 contract with government-owned Ontario Hydro, is getting $25,000 to give advice to Premier Mike Harris.

Rhodes was a key member of Harris' 1995 campaign team and worked as a member of the premier's political staff until January 1997.

NDP leader Howard Hampton said the contract is merely the latest in a series handed out to Tory "hacks."

A firm headed by Tom Long, another key Harris adviser during the last election and a campaign manager for the upcoming vote, received more than US$250,000 to headhunt a new president for Hydro.

Leslie Nobel, another principal Harris adviser in the past election and campaign manager for the upcoming one, was paid $91,000 to perform consulting work for the utility.

None of the contracts appear to violate government rules for hiring consultants.

However, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty said it's wrong for government insiders to get lucrative contracts.

Last year, Harris told the Legislature senior staff who leave government to work as consultants should have "absolutely nothing" to do with "any file" they worked while on the public payroll.

Rhodes bristled at the suggestion of wrongdoing.

"I worked hard for the fees I charged," he said. "If Mr. Hampton is questioning my experience and ability, that's his business."

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