OTTAWA — Former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell is headed for a plum diplomatic post in the United Kingdom and, in a somewhat unusual move, Canada's current ambassador to Syria will be posted to Afghanistan.The government confirmed the appointments on Monday along with nine other new diplomatic postings.
The appointment of Campbell as high commissioner to the U.K. comes after a lengthy political career, including nine years as Liberal premier of B.C. — until his retirement this year — and three terms as mayor of Vancouver.
The diplomatic post has historically oscillated between career politicians and diplomats and is considered by experts to be a symbolically important position.
Along with Campbell, Glenn V. Davidson was officially appointed Canada's new ambassador to Afghanistan. Davidson is currently Canada's ambassador to Syria — a post he has held since 2008.
"One might almost say he is jumping from the fire into the frying pan," Fen Hampson, director of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, told Postmedia News in an email.
"This kind of cross appointment from one conflict zone to another — which is somewhat unusual but not unprecedented — is obvious testimony to (Davidson's) diplomatic skills," Hampson said.
Canada's role in Afghanistan is changing but there is still a focus on diplomacy and development, Hampson said.
"Davidson knows the region well and is an experienced diplomat and negotiator," Hampson said.
A career naval officer, Davidson served 35 years in the navy, retiring as a vice-admiral in 2008. Davidson commanded Canada's Atlantic fleet, skippered warships in the Pacific and at one time was in charge of personnel for the entire Canadian Forces.
His international experience includes a post as Canadian Forces attache in Tokyo and as representative to NATO's military committee in Brussels.
"He's done an incredibly good job in an incredibly difficult situation on the ground in Damascus," Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday, commenting on Davidson's work as ambassador to Syria. Baird said the posting in Syria will serve as good experience for Afghanistan.
Davidson studied English at the University of King's College in Halifax and holds a doctor of civil law degree from the same university. He is married with one daughter.
The government has also confirmed the appointment of Yves Brodeur as ambassador to NATO in Brussels, Guillermo Rishchynski as ambassador to the UN in New York City and Elissa Golberg as ambassador to the UN in Geneva.
Origin
Source: the Province
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