Cecil Clarke lands new job

Former provincial justice minister and failed federal Conservative candidate Cecil Clarke has a new job.

Clarke has been hired as a consultant to the Cape Breton County Economic Development Agency.

Eileen Lannon Oldford , the agency's executive director, said Clarke is not on staff.

Lannon Oldford said the money for the Clarke's contract comes from Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation.

"This is not in our core budget. This is a proposal that was put forward to look for these services. It went to Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, and they approved the proposal," she said.

Lannon Oldford said the senior executive advisor contract is for a maximum of three years and is assessed on a monthly basis.

Clarke, 43, was one of two people to apply for the consultant's contract. It reportedly pays about $135,000 per year.

He was the MLA for Cape Breton North from 2001 until 2010. He then ran in the federal election last spring against Liberal incumbent Mark Eyking in Sydney-Victoria.