Ottawa announces diplomatic shakeup with 26 new appointments

Foreign Affairs Minister Stphane Dion announced Tuesday the appointment of more than two dozen new ambassadors as part of the government's latest effort to reshape the diplomatic ranks.

"These appointments reflect the government of Canada's commitment to ensure its diplomatic leaders represent a wide diversity of Canadians and include a greater gender representation," Dionsaid in a statement.

Thirteen of the 26 ambassadors appointed in this round are women.

This movewhittles down the number ofHarper-era appointments still serving abroad, although several high-profile diplomats will remain in their positions, including Lawrence Cannon, a former Conservative cabinet minister and the current ambassador to France.

Kevin Vickers, Canada's man in Dublin, will also keep his posting only months after making international headlines for tackling an Irish republican at a memorial event for British soldiers killed during the Easter Rising.

Janice Charette, the former top bureaucrat in Ottawawho was abruptlyreplaced this year as clerk of the Privy Council,takes over for Gordon Campbell in London as the high commissioner to the United Kingdom as that country still reels from the Brexit vote.

In the Middle East, Dion is replacing the heads of two missions whose appointments were met with criticism for being too partisan.

Canada's ambassador in Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, will become the country's representative in Israel, replacing the controversialVivian Bercovici, a formerpolicy adviserwho served in the same Ontario Progressive Conservative government as then Foreign Affairs MinisterJohn Baird.The lawyer, and former CBC/Radio-Canada board member, was a frequentcritic ofPalestinian leadership in theMiddle East affairs column she pennedforthe Toronto Starbefore her diplomatic posting.

Bruno Saccomani, theformer head of Stephen Harper's RCMP security detail, is out as ambassador to Jordan and will be replaced by Peter MacDougall, a senior bureaucrat at the Privy Council Office where he worked as assistant secretary to the cabinet on foreign and defence policy.

Who's going where?

8 years ago

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Foreign Affairs Minister Stphane Dion announced the appointment of 26 new ambassadors

Saccomani'sinitialappointment caused a stir in Ottawa when the opposition parties branded the former police officer as unqualified to serve in such a sensitive region.

And while most of the new ambassadorsare career diplomats, theLiberalgovernment'spicks are not entirely free of party politics.

Film industry executive PhyllisYaffehas been named consul general in New York, supplanting former Bay Street banker JohnPrato. According to contribution records from Elections Canada,Yaffedonated$4,534 to the Liberals, and former interim leaderBob Rae,between 2006 and 2011.

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Patrick Parisot, a man with a long history inLiberal party circles, will be Canada's new envoy in Cuba. Parisot worked as a communications staffer in former prime minister Jean Chrtien's office, before entering the foreign service with postings in Chile, Portugal and Algeria. Later, he left the public service toworkas a senior adviser inthen-Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff's office.

Here is the full list of diplomatic appointments:

• JaniceCharettebecomes high commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, replacingGordon Campbell.
• Phyllis Yaffebecomes consul general in New York (United States of America), replacingJohn (Giovanni) Prato.
• Deborah Lyonsbecomes ambassador to the State of Israel, replacingVivianBercovici.
• Donald Bobiashbecomes ambassador to the Republic of Colombia, replacingCarmen Sylvain.
• Ian Burneybecomes ambassador to Japan, replacingMackenzie Clugston.
• Perry Calderwoodbecomes high commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, replacingHeather Cruden.
• Heather Cameronbecomes high commissioner to the Republic of Ghana, replacingChristopher Thornley.
• Antoine Chevrierbecomes high commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique, replacingShawn Barber.
• Chris Cooterbecomes ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, replacingJohn Holmes.
• Jennifer Daubenybecomes consul general in Bangalore (Republic of India), replacingSidney Frank.
• Lise Filiatraultbecomes ambassador to the Republic of Senegal, replacingPhilippe Beaulne.
• Emi Furuyabecomes ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark, replacingAndr-Franois Giroux.
• Carla Hogan Rufeldsbecomes high commissioner to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, replacingGrard Latulippe.
• Masud Husainbecomes ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, replacingArif Lalani.
• Ping Kitnikonebecomes ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, replacingDavid Devine.
• Marie Legaultbecomes high commissioner to Barbados, replacingRichard Hanley.
• Matthew Levinbecomes ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, replacingJon Allen.
• Peter MacDougallbecomes ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, replacingBruno Saccomani.
• Ian Mylesbecomes high commissioner to the United Republic of Tanzania, replacingAlexandre Lvque.
• Jeff Nankivellbecomes consul general in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (People's Republic of China), replacingIan (James) Burchett.
• Olivier Nicoloffbecomes ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, replacingDenis Robert.
• Patrick Parisotbecomes ambassador to the Republic of Cuba, replacingYves Gagnon.
• Donica Pottiebecomes ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, replacingPhilip Calvert.
• Isabelle Poupartbecomes ambassador to Hungary, replacingLisa Helfand.
• Barbara Richardsonbecomes ambassador to the Czech Republic, replacing Otto Jelinek.
• Ulric Shannonbecomes consul general in Istanbul (Republic of Turkey), replacing Andrew Smith.

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