Trudeau taps MP Andrew Leslie, retired army commander, to help handle US file

OTTAWA – The prime minister is formally recruiting retired general-turned-Liberal MP Andrew Leslie to help manage Canada’s relationship with the United States.

Justin Trudeau is naming Leslie as parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs with special responsibilities for the American file, which has grown vastly more complex with the arrival of president-elect Donald Trump.

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Leslie, currently the chief government whip, developed close relationships with senior U.S. generals during his time in the military, including as a commander in Afghanistan.

Trudeau says Leslie will play a critical role in building ties with the new U.S. administration, which includes a number of prominent retired generals.

Leslie was first elected to Parliament in 2015, in the Ottawa-area riding of Orleans. He spent 35 years in the Canadian Forces, retiring as a lieutenant-general.

In 2007, he was awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit in recognition of his work with the American military.