Canada appoints new ambassador to U.S.

OTTAWA, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Canada's Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper Friday named Manitoba's outgoing socialist premier, Gary Doer, as the next ambassador to the United States.

The announcement in Ottawa came a day after Doer announced his fall retirement after his provincial New Democratic Party chooses a new leader.

Former Conservative Finance Minister Michael Wilson is the current ambassador in Washington and has been there since March 2006, the report said.

The appointment of Doer, 61, reflect Harper's alignment of ambassadors with the U.S. leadership -- Wilson served during the last two years of the Republican administration, and Doer will deal with a Democratic administration.

U.S. President Barack Obama must first approve the nomination, although the Free Press said it widely expected to be rubber-stamped, and Doer would move to Washington in September.

Doer was the longest-serving premier in the country after being elected premier of Manitoba in 1999.

At the announcement, Harper praised Doer's career, the Canwest News Service reported.

"You have always had great relations with all your first ministers but also you have always been a strong advocate of both good and assertive relations with the U.S.," Harper said.