Politics

Cullen, Angus unimpressed at prospect of Sarah Palin as U.S. ambassador to Canada

At least two federal New Democrat MPs don't find all the conjecture about Sarah Palin becoming U.S. ambassador to Canada very funny.

Cullen says Palin couldn't recognize the truth 'if it jumped up and knocked her on the head'

Speculation abounds that former vice-presidential Republican candidate Sarah Palin could be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada, a prospect that has the NDP irked. (The Associated Press)

At least two federal New Democrat MPs don't find all the conjecture about Sarah Palin becoming U.S. ambassador to Canada very funny.

New Democrat Nathan Cullen says if Palin was named the top U.S. representative to Canada, it would be tantamount to having to deal with two Donald Trumps.

The ambassador's job has been vacant since last month when Obama appointee Bruce Heyman resigned following Trump's inauguration as president.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer fuelled the rumour mill Wednesday when he didn't outright deny the possibility, sending tongues wagging on social media.

Cullen says making Palin ambassador would be detrimental to Canada's efforts to build a stronger relationship with the Trump administration.

He says it would be hard to take her seriously.

"She has never been very comfortable with the truth," Cullen said Thursday. "Couldn't recognize it most mornings if it jumped up and knocked her on the head."

Still others questioned what message Trump would be sending by appointing Palin to the post.

"Well that would show how little Steve Bannon and his pal @realDonaldTrump think of Canada," MP Charlie Angus wrote on Twitter.

NDP MPs Nathan Cullen and Charlie Angus are less than enthusiastic about the prospect of Sarah Palin becoming the next U.S. ambassador to Canada. (CBC)

Already the butt of countless jokes during and after her 2008 candidacy for U.S. vice-president, many Canadians used social media to laugh off the notion of a Palin ambassadorship.

Palin's name did briefly swirl around the Twitterverse shortly after Heyman announced he was leaving, but the social media fuss had died down in recent weeks — until Spicer's latest non-denial.

"With respect to the ambassador, we have no additional ambassador nominations or announcements to make on that front," Spicer said. "I'm sure, at some point, we will have soon."