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Wilgress, Leolyn Dana
Leolyn Dana Wilgress, public servant (b at Vancouver 20 Oct 1892; d at Ottawa 21 July 1969). Entering the Trade Commissioner Service in 1914, Wilgress served in Russia, Romania, England and Germany 1916-32, when he was appointed director of the Commercial Intelligence Service in Ottawa. He was one of Canada's key trade negotiators in the 1930s, becoming deputy minister of trade and commerce in 1940. An indifferent administrator, he happily returned to the USSR as minister, 1942-44, and ambassador, 1944-46. Even as the COLD WAR took hold, Wilgress remained moderate on East-West issues. Among other postings he was chairman and one of the principal architects of the GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE 1948-51 and 1953-56, high commissioner to the UK 1949-52, undersecretary of state for external affairs 1952-53 and permanent representative to NATO, 1953-55. He published his Memoirs in 1967.
