OTTAWA—Stephen Harper’s top bodyguard is poised to become Canada’s new ambassador to Jordan, an appointment that is raising eyebrows in diplomatic circles.

After heading the RCMP protective detail that guards the prime minister and his family, Supt. Bruno Saccomani appears on his way to join the foreign service.

“It does seem like what I would call a friendship move, a reward for a job well done,” said Fen Hampson, director of global security at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

He questioned whether the move signals the advent of “American-style” diplomacy where ambassador postings are dished out to political appointees.

“Do you want career diplomats serving in these positions or do you want people who are parachuted in because they are close to the prime minister,” Hampson said in an interview.

“Yes, it’s certainly raising some eyebrows . . . the optic is a little odd.”

He said diplomacy, especially in sensitive parts of the world like Jordan, should be left to “professionals” but added, “that’s not to say this person may not rise to the challenge.”

Postmedia News was the first to report the pending job change for the veteran Mountie. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment Thursday. A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird dismissed it as “pure speculation.”

Harper has made political appointments to the diplomatic corps, naming defeated cabinet ministers Lawrence Cannon and Jean-Pierre Blackburn to postings in France.

NDP MP Paul Dewar raised concerns with Saccomani’s appointment, saying the top diplomatic job in Jordan demands an understanding of the complex issues of the Middle East.

“It would appear that the only thing he has is a connection to the prime minister and not a deep profound knowledge of diplomacy or a deep profound knowledge of the issues in the region,” Dewar told reporters.

Bob Rae, the Liberal foreign affairs critic, cautioned against criticism of the posting, saying that Saccomani’s security expertise in such a volatile part of the world would be valuable.

“Security issues are critical in that region. They’re critical for the country,” Rae said.

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