Former Liberal cabinet minister and ex-Toronto police chief Bill Blair is set to resign from Parliament to become Canada’s next high commissioner to the United Kingdom.
The role will see him handling diplomatic affairs with Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Prime Minister Mark Carney released a statement Monday afternoon detailing the change, saying Blair has “the proven expertise, judgement, and leadership to deepen Canada’s relationships with two of our closest and most reliable partners.”
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Blair takes over from Ralph Goodale, also a former Liberal cabinet minister, who had held this position since April 2021.
Carney thanked Goodale for “his invaluable contributions to Canada through this time of profound global change, building on his decades of dedicated public service.”
Blair has previously served in Canada’s federal cabinet as minister of national defence, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, and minister of border security and organized crime reduction.
Before that, he had a 39-year career with the Toronto Police Service, including as chief of police.
The change will be implemented this spring.
Carney also announced that Natalie Drouin will now serve as the ambassador of Canada to France and Monaco.
Drouin currently serves as the deputy clerk of the Privy Council and national security and intelligence advisor to the prime minister. She previously served as associate secretary to the cabinet and deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Canada.
More to come.
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