brake pad changes on the contour are suprisingly easy. Both teh fronts and rears are designed to be easy to change pads.
In a nut shell, pull the wheels off, remove the 2 pin bolts that connect the caliper to the caliper bracket and the caliper and pads come off together.
I also suggest you take the caliper bracket off the steering knuckle so you can slide the rotor off and give it a quick once over. You just want to make sure that the braking surfaces of the rotors aren't all gurred up and do a quick thickness check with a tape measure to make sure the rotor isn't worn too thin.
Before you put the rotor back on take a minute or two to sand the surfaces of the rotor with some 100 or 220 grit sand paper until the surfaces look hazy. This helps to lighlty rough the surface so the new pads break in better.
Then put it all back together with a thin film of caliper grease (white grease works good too) on the surface of the pin bolts that attach the caliper to make sure that it can slide smoothly and the bolts don't rust.
also check out the How To, it should help guide you along 
