Gary Doer, Canada's ambassador to U.S., says he's heading home soon

It's the end of an era for Canada's most importantdiplomatic post as Gary Doer confirmed Monday that hislonger-than-usual stint as ambassador to the United States is aboutto conclude.

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The popular former premier said he'll help prepare the transitionto a new Liberal government and will leave it to the incominggovernment to pick the specific departure date.

Rumours about his impending departure had been swirling formonths given that his six-year D.C. stint had alreadylasted longerthan his last two predecessors combined.

The sports-loving ambassador had always sidestepped those rumoursin characteristic fashion: with a joke about hockey. He used thesame metaphor Monday to announce the final siren.

"I've said informally around Washington ... I'm in doubleovertime, and am not going to go into triple-overtime," Doer saidin an interview next to his office, overlooking the U.S. Capitol.

"I've made that very clear before the election, during theelection, after the election. I'm participating now in the orderlytransition that takes place obviously between the outgoing and theincoming government."

As for the specific departure date: "The day is not confirmed,"he said. "There was a desire, administratively, to have a
transition (period)."

The former NDP premier of Manitoba was appointed by PrimeMinister Stephen Harper in the hope that his left-of-centre rootsand social network might help relations with the then-rookie Obamaadministration.

Keystone, border and TPP among key files

Much of the media chatter in the last six years has focused onone irritant: the stalled Keystone XL pipeline, which both Harperand Doer advocated without success so far.

But the era also witnessed a series of major Canadian prioritiescoming to fruition.

They include:

• A sweeping arrangement that would change the way Canadians andAmericans cross the border, creating customs points away from theborder with the goal of faster crossings. To take effect, the dealmust be approved in Parliament and Congress.
• Canada's entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership tradenegotiations, which happened after considerable lobbying of U.S.politicians and stakeholders. Negotiators finally reached a dealthis month, although that too faces implementation debate inlegislatures.
• An agreement on a new Detroit-Windsor bridge that bypassed ablockage in the U.S. Congress. Canada will finance the bridge, andalso collect tolls on what will become the most important bordercrossing.
• Anti-red-tape measures, with the negotiation of harmonization ofrules for a wide range of products.
• A coveted classification for Canadian hydro as a renewableenergy, which could increase exports from Quebec, Ontario,Newfoundland, B.C. and Manitoba.

Futureup in air

Speaking of Manitoba, Doer all but confirmed that's where he'sheaded next: "I've never sold my home in Winnipeg," he said."Winnipeg's always been my home. I didn't sell my house, I didn'tsell my cabin."

He declined to say what his future plans are. Doer said they willlikely involve some Canada-U.S. issues, but he avoided delving intodetails. He also declined to discuss specific policy issues, giventhe transition-time caretaker rulesabout public comments bygovernment employees.

"I don't want to go into much more detail," Doer said."I'll talk about the future when the future starts which isnot quite yet ... I loved being premier. It was an honour to be anambassador. It's always an honour to represent Canada."

Ambassador Bob Rae?

There's been speculation for months about who might succeed Doer,with embassy staff hearing different names about his potentialreplacement based on who might win the election.

With the Liberals in power, some of that attention has turned toanother former NDP premier -- this one spent part of his childhood inWashington as the son of a diplomat, and he went on to temporarilylead the federal Liberals: Bob Rae.

Insiders at the embassy, and in Ottawa, have mentioned Rae as apossible candidate for one of two high-profile diplomatic posts: areplacement for Doer, or for the United Nations ambassadorship inNew York.

Rae wouldn't touch either of those rumours Monday. But he didagree to speak about Doer, whom he's known for decades and called anoutstanding premier and ambassador.

He said Canadians were well served by Doer's sharp politicalinstincts, and deep contacts in different parts of the complex U.S.political machine that includes both parties in Congress and stategovernors.

"You only have to talk to Gary for five minutes on any subjectto understand he's very well-informed. He has tremendous personalcontacts," Rae said in an interview.

"I can't think of anybody who has a better ability to chat withpeople, with disarming candour. Very approachable. Huge amounts ofcharm. And a tremendous amount of knowledge about any file he'sworking on."

Rae said there have been some missed opportunities in Canada-U.S.relations in recent years, but that the blamedoesn't belongexclusively to any country or political party.

He said he hopes to see deeper co-operation on climate change andenergy between all three North American countries the idea isalready supported by the next Liberal government, and by Democraticfrontrunner Hillary Clinton.