Appointment of Carl West, Director of Canal Services of the Department, to the position of Deputy Minister effective January 1, 1954. was announced October 28. Mr. West succeeds J-C. Lessard who has retired to enter commercial life. He will have jurisdiction over Marine Services, Canal Services, Steamship Inspection, Steamer operation, St.Lawrence Ship Channel. all Administrative Branches and the Special Projects Branch of the Department.

Mr. West was born in Seymour Township near Campbellford, Ont., attended high school there and was an honour graduate from the University of Toronto in 1915 with the degree of B.Sc.. in hydraulic engineering. During the first World War, he served in the Canadian Infantry and Canadian Engineers.

Following demobilization, Mr. West was appointed Senior Assistant and then Division Engineer in charge of the construction of Sections 3. 4 and 4b of the Welland Ship Canal in the Department of Railways and Canals.

In 1933, he organized the operation staff of the Welland Ship Canal and became the first Superintending Engineer which position he held until 1947 when he was transferred to Ottawa as Director, Canal Services.

John Russel Baldwin. Chairman of the Air Transport Board, has been appointed Deputy Minister for Air Services of the Department with supervision over Civil Aviation, Telecommunication and Meteorological Divisions effective January 1. 1954.

Mr. Baldwin's aviation background includes his having been a member of the Inter-departmental Committee on Civil Aviation which was set up in 1942 to make recommendations regarding the post-war policy. He was a delegate,and active in the preparation of the proposal which Parliament approved for submission to the International Civil Aviation Conference held in Chicago in 1944. He was also active in the negotiations which have led to the conclusion of bilateral air agreements between Canada and other countries.

Mr. Baldwin was born in Toronto and received his education at McMaster University (BA): Toronto University (MA) and Oxford University (B.Litt.) He was a member of the Faculty of History at McMaster University (1937-38): then National Secretary of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs from 1938 to 1941. He entered government service in 1941 with the Department of External Affairs. later transferred to the Privy Council office where he served as Assistant Secretary to the War Committee of the Cabinet during the war years and subsequently as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet.

Promotion of Air Vice Marshal J.L.E.A. de Niverville, C.B.. District Con troller of Air Services, Department of Transport at Montreal, to the newly created position of Associate Director of Air Services at Ottawa, was announced on September 10.

Air Vice Marshal de Niverville was the highest ranking Canadian officer of French extraction in the RCAF on his retirement in August, 1945. He was ap­pointed as District Controller in the Department of Transport in 1948. Born in Montreal in 1897, he was educated in Ottawa and served as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Wounded in aerial combat, he became flying instructor until his return to Canada in 1919.

Transferring from the RAF to the RCAF reserve and then to the active list of that service. Flight Lieutenant de Niverville rose to Wing Commander by the time World War II broke out. He was one of the RCAF officials whose report on methods and organization was considered useful in the setting up of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. During World War II, he was appointed in succession to the position of Director of Air Manning, Air Officer Commanding No. 3 Traininq Command, and Air Member for Training at RCAF headquarters.

William Sinclair Lawson, formerly District Superintendent of Airways. Vancouver, was promoted to District Controller of Air Services, Winnipeg. August 22. Mr. Lawson entered DOT service in 1936 as Assistant Inspector at Regina. His early experiences there included the selection of radio range sites and and surveys for emergency aerodromes for the trans-Canada airway. In 1939 he was promoted to the position of District Inspector Western Airways. Lethbridge. in charge of territory from Saskatchewan west and north. As the work load increased this district was split and Mr. Lawson moved with the district office to Vancouver. Later he became District Superintendent of Airways. For the part played in the selection of aerodromes for the Joint Air Training Plan. Mr. Lawson was awarded the M.B.E.

Before coming to the Department, the new district controller had operated a flying training school and charter business, had been a bush pilot, a flying instructor with RCAF (non permanent) and a captain in the Reserve Artillery. He received his flying training in the Flying Corps in World War I graduating as a fighter pilot. He had previously seen service with the Royal Canadian Artillery, where he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery under shell fire.

J. Leon Blondeau. District Superintendent Air Regulations. Montreal, has been promoted to District Controller of Air Services.

Mr. Blondeau is a native of Quebec City. Too young during World War I, he took up flying in the 1920's and for a while was operating a successful aviation school in his home city. He joined the Civil Aviation Division of the Department of National Defence in 1936 and later that year, was transferred with that service to the newly created Department of Transport. First appointed as Assistant Inspector at Montreal, he was promoted in succession to the position of Inspector, then District Inspector. Air Regulations. and later District Superintendent, Air Regulations.

Appointment of Captain Georges-Edouard Gaudreau, of Quebec City, to the position of District Marine Agent of the Department of Transport with headquarters in that city. was announced September 18. Captain Gaudreau succeeds Walter Manning who was recently transferred to Ottawa as Chief of Aids to Navigation.

The new Quebec District Marine Agent has been with the Department since 1945, first in the capacity of Inspector of Small Vessels and later as Superintendent of Lights. He served three years with the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, first in United Kingdom and Iceland waters and later as Officer in Charge of Rimouski Naval Station.

Born at l'Islet. Que., Captain Gaudreau attended school in that town and later went to University of Ottawa. He received his Master's Certificate in 1934 and is intimately acquainted with coastal waters, particularly the lower St. Lawrence River.