Michael Kergin comments in The Hill Times on why it is so important for the next Canadian Ambassador to the United States to have a close connection to Prime Minister. Michael says: 

“From a U.S. perspective, the relationship between the ambassador and the prime minister has to be extremely close for the White House and for Congress—who deals a lot with the embassy—to have confidence that they’re talking to somebody who really has the authority of the Canadian government at the highest level . . . the Americans are very quick to determine, or know, whether or not you have access to the seats of power."