Gary Doer Named Ambassador-Designate To U.S.
Posted August 28, 2009 7:18 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Gary Doer has been named ambassador-designate to the United States, just a day after announcing he would step down as NDP premier of Manitoba.
The appointment must be formally accepted by the U.S., but that is considered a formality.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper named him to the post – Canada’s most important diplomatic job – less than 24 hours after Doer announced his departure from provincial politics.
He said Doer has “always been an advocate of good and assertive relations with the United States.”
“We look forward to seeing you in Washington,” Harper said as he introduced the new diplomat at a brief photo opportunity.
“We’re all part of one Canadian team,” Doer said. “It is a very, very important challenge.”
Despite his party affiliation, Doer was rarely driven by strict ideology and earned an image as a “Teflon premier,” who walked a careful line between cutting small business taxes and bolstering social programs.
The 62-year-old Doer replaces Michael Wilson, a former Progressive Conservative finance minister who has held the job since March 2006.
Doer was the longest serving among the current premiers when he unexpectedly announced his departure.
He won three consecutive majority governments, starting in 1999.
