NEWS RELEASES

January 21, 2000 (9:40 a.m. EST) No. 4

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF AIR NEGOTIATOR FOR CANADA

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Transport Minister David Collenette today announced the appointment of Serge April as Chief Air Negotiator for Canada.

As Chief Air Negotiator, Mr. April will be responsible for conducting negotiations to provide for air services between Canada and other countries. These negotiations are important to Canada's air carriers, airport communities, tourists and business travellers, investors and shippers.

Mr. April has an extensive background in legal and international affairs. He succeeds William Dymond.

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Biographical notes on Mr. April are attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Robert Greenslade

Transport Canada

(613) 990-6055

This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Serge April (BA, Externat classique, 1964; LL.L., Laval University, 1967; called to the bar of Quebec, 1968; DES [Public Law], University of Ottawa, 1970) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1968 and served abroad in Rome, in Havana, and Paris with the Canadian Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

From 1985 to 1989 he was Ambassador to Senegal, and from 1992 to 1996 he served as Deputy High Commissioner in London. In 1996, he was named Ambassador to Poland, a position he held until this year.

In Ottawa, Mr. April served in a number of positions, including Director, Economic Law and Treaty Division; Senior Advisor for Federal-Provincial Relations; and Director General of the Legal Affairs Bureau.

Mr. April is married to Suzanne Mercier and they have two children.