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US President Joe Biden nominated David Cohen, a technology executive who had served as the chief of staff of the Mayor of Philadelphia, as his ambassador to Canada.
Cohen is a lawyer, lobbyist and fundraiser, currently serving as a senior consultant to the head of the US communications giant Comcast (Comcast), and has long been considered a possible candidate.
In addition to holding multiple positions in various departments of Comcast, The White House Biography says Cohen also serves as the company’s chief diversity officer.
But he is no stranger to politics: In addition to serving as the company’s main lobbyist, Cohen also served as chief of staff to Philadelphia Mayor Ed Lundell for five years in the 1990s.
Cohen also hosted the first fundraiser for Biden’s successful 2020 presidential campaign.
Scotty Greenwood, chairman and chief executive of the Canadian-American Business Council, said: “His Senate confirmation is not fast enough for Canada-U.S. relations.”
In a statement, Greenwood pointed to mismatched travel restrictions between the two countries and a “road map” for closer bilateral relations. Biden announced with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in February -She said it needs careful navigation.
“The need to restore a well-coordinated and mutually beneficial border management process is more urgent than ever. The roadmap announced by the President and Prime Minister requires our senior navigators in the front row to turn their ambitious goals into reality.”
No diplomatic experience
A U.S. diplomat who has long served as a U.S. diplomat and a former official of the Obama White House criticized the statement.
Brett Brunn told CBC News that, disappointingly, another party donor with no diplomatic experience will represent the United States in an important position in Canada.
The US-Canada relationship is one of our most important relationships.
It is disappointing to see someone with no diplomatic experience being sent to Ottawa to manage them.
The frustrating Biden continues to view these serious national security positions as though they are the favor of the political party. https://t.co/MCzxh4zJJz
“After four years of trouble in Trump’s administration, Cohen is not the person most capable of restoring Canada’s confidence in the United States,” said Brunn, the current president of the consulting firm Global Situation Room.
“We need deep diplomatic experience, not strong financial resources to survive these turbulent times.”
Historically, this position was often held by diplomats.In recent decades, it has flowed to several famous state-level politicians or governors, such as Paul Serucci, James Blanchard and David Wilkins.
The most recent nomination has been awarded to prominent campaign donors.
Among other long-awaited nominations, Biden also appointed Victoria Reggie Kennedy, a well-known Washington DC attorney and widow of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, as his Austrian special envoy and Jamie Haprian as Special envoy of Slovenia.
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