Carney taps Trudeau-era cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson as EU ambassador

OTTAWA — Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson says he’s accepted an offer from Prime Minister Mark Carney to serve as Canada’s Ambassador to the European Union.

“The European Union is one of Canada’s most important partners in trade, climate, security and the defence of democracy,” said Wilkinson in a statement posted to social media on Thursday morning.

“In Brussels, I will work to ensure that this partnership delivers real benefits to Canadians,” said Wilkinson.

Wilkinson said he’d be leaving his Vancouver area federal seat “in the coming months.”

First elected to the House of Commons in 2015, Wilkinson previously served as minister of fisheries and oceans, environment minister and minister of natural resources under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

He’s the third Trudeau-era cabinet minister to be appointed to a diplomatic post by Carney, following the appointment of former attorney general David Lametti as Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations and that of former defence minister Bill Blair as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Wilkinson will succeed career diplomat Ailish Campbell, who concluded her mandate as Canada’s Ambassador to the EU in September 2025.

National Postrmohamed@postmedia.com

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.