OTTAWA — Former cabinet minister Bill Blair will resign his Toronto seat in the House of Commons to take on a new role as Canada’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is also appointing his national security adviser Nathalie Drouin as Canada’s ambassador to France and Monaco.

Blair served as Toronto’s police chief before being elected an MP in 2015, and he served as defence minister, and public safety minister during the winter 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests.

His appointment to London will vacate a seat in his Toronto riding of Scarborough Southwest, and will be the second Toronto seat vacated following Chrystia Freeland’s resignation earlier this year.

Drouin has held various roles in Ottawa and Quebec City, including civilian head of the federal Justice Department, and she had a prominent role in responding to instances of foreign interference.

The appointments fill two vacancies for political appointments, with Stéphane Dion having ended his term in Paris and Ralph Goodale concluding his London posting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2026.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press