Kirsten Hillman officially named Canadian ambassador to the United States

The CSCB congratulates Ms. Kirsten Hillman on the appointment, and looks forward to working with her on a range of issues.

Kirsten Hillman, the woman now serving as Canada's acting ambassador to the United States, has been given the permanent job as the Trudeau government's top person in Washington.

The word comes after months of speculation that the former trade negotiator would be appointed to the position, making her the first woman ever to serve in the role.

Hillman is widely respected in both Liberal and Conservative circles for her track record as a negotiator. Under the previous Conservative government, she served as chief negotiator on Canada's Trans Pacific Partnership team. Hillman also played a leading role in Canada's NAFTA negotiations under the Trudeau government.

In a news release making the appointment official, Trudeau said Hillman demonstrated an ability to stand up for Canadians and fight for their interests during those negotiations...

The position is seen as the most important foreign diplomatic posting in the Canadian public service, given how crucial the Canada-U.S. relationship is to the Canadian economy.

This was excerpted from 26 March 2020 edition of the CBC News.