Carla Foote hiring forms leave 'Rationale for Staffing' section blank

When Chris Mitchelmore gotto the section of paperwork where he had to justify hiring a longtime Liberal staffer for a job with a six-figure salary, he wrote nothing.

CBCNews has obtained the documents filled out when Carla Foote was hired by the ministerof Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovationto an executive position within The Rooms provincial art gallery and museum.

Each section of the hiring form is completed, until section four titled "Rationale For Hiring."

Mitchelmore'sscrawled signature rests a few inches below, giving authorization for the hire on Sept. 26, but the box of reasons for choosingCarla Footeis empty.

The position was filled without competition, after it had been vacant for two years. It comes with a salary of $132,000.

The instructions in the section ask the minister to provide much of the same information the media has been demanding for months why did the position need to be filled, was it considered difficult to fill, and was it necessary to fill it at all?

The initial job posting in 2016 stated a degree in marketing or commerce would be an asset. Foote has neither of those qualifications, but worked as the lead communications official for the provincial government.

Different story for another hire

The documents obtained by CBC News through an access to information request show a stark contrast in how Foote was hired versus how a colleague was hired a month later.

On Oct. 31, Mitchelmore authorized the hiringof Anne Chafe to a similar executive position with The Rooms. In the fourth section of that hiring form, Mitchelmorewrotethree paragraphs, listing reasons for hiring Chafeto the position.

Chafe's form was filled out in the days after a CBC News story raised questions about how Foote could be hired without competition.

What followed was more than a month of daily questions in the House of Assembly, and short, repetitiousanswers from Mitchelmore.

Earlier this month, a spokesperson for Mitchelmore's office told CBCNews the minister would have nothing further to say on Foote's hiring.

Minister taking heat for hire

On Tuesday, Premier Dwight Ball voiced his support for Footein a media scrum after question period.

"It's certainly not in my view a political payoff here," Ball said. "I think Carla Foote is highly qualified for that job."

A list of emails obtained by CBC News in the same access to information request show dozens of people in the general public did not share the premier's view. The letters criticizing the hiring decision had the names blacked out by a government information coordinator.

"Please don't force good Liberal supporting voters to mark their X for Crosbie in 2019," one person wrote.

"The minister's statement aired on CBC'sHere and Now last evening made me gag on my supper," anotherwrote in response to Mitchelmore'sexplanation for hiring Foote.

"Your decision to forego an open search for candidates in favour of making a unilateral, political appointment for a senior level position is unconscionable," a third person wrote to Mitchelmore. "Frankly, you should resign for the greater good."

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