OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is welcoming president-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the next U.S. ambassador in Ottawa.

Joly posted on social media that the Canadian government looks forward to working with Pete Hoekstra to strengthen bilateral ties and advance shared priorities between the two nations.

Trump announced on Wednesday that Hoekstra, a former member of Congress for Michigan, will be his next U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Joly is currently in Washington, D.C. meeting with U.S. senators from both parties to talk trade and security.

Hoekstra will still have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but his early nomination is being taken as a good sign among former diplomats.

In his first term as president, Trump tapped Hoekstra to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press