Jason MacDonald named PMO communications director

Jason MacDonald, who has been spokesman for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt for the past year, has been named director of communications for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

He replaces Andrew MacDougall, who held the position fora year and a halfandannounced his decision to leave the post last month. MacDougall's last day on the job was Wednesday.

MacDougallconfirmed MacDonald's appointment on Twitter Thursday morning, calling him "professional, experienced and able to handle tough files."

MacDonald is a former chief of staff at CBC Television and ran for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in Ottawa Southin the 2011 provincial election. He has also served asvice-president,corporate and public affairs, at Veritas Communications, a public relations agency headquartered in Toronto.

MacDonald will be in charge of a team of communications staff in the Prime Minister's Office that includes press secretaries, communications officers, strategists and advisers as well as a new media and marketing specialist.

MacDonald is Harper's eighth director of communications since coming to power in 2006.