Canada. Geographical Branch : In recognition of the important information that geographers offered modern defence planers, Cabinet recommended the establishment of a geographical bureau (Cabinet Conclusion, 5 June, 1947) with a mandate to gather basic data on the physical geography, climate, and natural resources of various parts of Canada. The Inter-Service Topographical Section (ISTS) of the Department of National Defence was given the initial task of setting up such an organization. Headed by the internationally renown arctic anthropologist, Dr. Diamond Jenness, who had been seconded from the National Museum of Canada, the unit began coordinating a number of research projects, many of which centred on Canada's North. It soon became apparent, however, that the geographical studies were primarily non-military in nature, which was not surprisingly given the background of Dr. Jenness. By September, a decision had been made to transfer the unit to a civilian agency, specifically the Mines, Forests and Scientific Services Branch of the Department of Mines and Resources, where it was named the Geographical Bureau. By early October Trevor Lloyd had been appointed as the Bureau's first Chief.
The Mines, Forests and Scientific Services Branch was itself a recent amalgamation of all the Department's research activities. It included: the Dominion Forest Service of the former Lands, Parks and Forests Branch; the Topographical Survey and part of the Map Compilation and Reproduction Divisions of the former Mines and Geology Branch, and the Hydrographic Survey, Geodetic Survey, and Legal Survey Divisions of the former Surveys and Engineering Branch, which were amalgamated into Surveys and Mapping Bureau; the Dominion Observatories, and the Dominion Water and Power Bureau of the former Surveys and Engineering Branch; the Geological Survey of the former Mines and Geology Branch; the Bureau of Mines; the National Museum of Canada; and, of course, the Geographical Bureau. All remaining non-scientific activities which related to lands and natural resources were brought together within the Department's second operative area, the Lands and Development Services Branch (Canada. Department of Mines and Resources. Report of the Department of Mines and Resources for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1948. Ottawa, 1949, pg. 18).
Broadly, the functions of the Geographical Bureau were "to collect, organize, and make readily available for the use of all branches of the Government, geographical data about Canada and foreign areas of importance to Canada" (Canada. Department of Mines and Resources. Report of the Department of Mines and Resources for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1948. Ottawa, 1949, pg. 132). After its first six months of operation, the Bureau was able to report that it had moved quickly to send research parties into the field (specifically the Arctic Islands and neighbouring mainland), to establish a research library and map and photographic collections, and to send representatives to various national and international scientific conferences.
In an effort to streamline the functionality of government departments and raise the profile of the government's relationship with the mining industry, the many varied duties of the Department of Mines and Resources were split, just two years later, into three new federal departments: Resources and Development, Citizenship and Immigration, and Mines and Technical Surveys (13 Geo. VI, c. 17, which came into force by P.C. 1/330 of January 20, 1950). The latter was composed of five branches: Mines, Geological Survey, Dominion Observatories, Surveys and Mapping, and Geographical.
Although the functions of the Geographical Branch (as it was now called) remained essentially unchanged, there was now an increased emphasis placed on work which would help to promote the "economic, commercial, and social welfare of Canada" through the compilation of "geographical material of national significance" (Canada. Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. Annual Report, Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1950. Ottawa, 1951, pg. 8-9). Dr. J.W. Watson, the form head of the Department of Geography at McMaster University was appointed Director of the Branch just prior to the creation of the new Department on June 1, 1949 (Canada. Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. Annual Report, Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 1950. Ottawa, 1951, pg. 107). He remained in this position until 1954. In September 1956, N.L. Nicholson was appointed as his replacement (Canada. Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. Annual Report for the Year Ended March 31, 1957. Ottawa, pg. 95).
The Branch's mandate remained essentially unchanged until 1961 when responsibility for research and investigation into geographical names in Canada was transferred to the Geographical Branch from the Surveys and Mapping Branch, which had previously undertaken this activity in support of the Geographical Board of Canada. At the time of the transfer, the Geographical Board of Canada was abolished and a new agency created in its place, the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (see P.C. 1014, 13 July, 1961). Departmental functions in support of the latter agency were placed in a newly created Toponym Division within the Geographical Branch. With this change, the Geographical Branch became responsible for providing advise on geographical terminology, and for the production and maintenance of the Gazetteer of Canada.
With the passing of the Government Organization Act (14-15 Elizabeth II, c. 25), the former Department of Mines and Technical Surveys was renamed the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (EMR). The new department became the federal government's principal agency for the discovery, investigation, development and conservation of Canada's mineral, water and energy resources. To meet this new responsibility, the Department acquired from the former Department of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources responsibility for water resources inventory and planning; mineral resources exploration for certain areas under federal jurisdiction, including Hudson Bay and the continental shelves; and federal energy policy.
EMR's operative agencies were organized into four groups: Mines and Geoscience, Water, Mineral Development, and Energy Development. Each group was headed by an assistant deputy minister, and Claude M. Isbister was appointed Deputy Minister of the new Department, replacing William E. Van Steenburgh who retired. The Mines and Geosciences Group (with James M. Harrison as Assistant Deputy Minister) retained most of the original agencies of the former Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, including: the Surveys and Mapping Branch, the Geological Survey of Canada, the Mines Branch, the Observatories Branch, the Polar Continental Shelf Project, and the Geographical Branch.
Following a general redistribution of geographical research activities within the Department two years later, the Geographical Branch was abolished. The Surveys and Mapping Branch absorbed the Regional Geography Division, the Toponymy Division, and the Geographical Branch Map Library. The Economic Geography Division was transferred to the Policy and Planning Branch, and the Physical Geography Division became part of the Quaternary Research and Geomorphology Division of the Geological Survey of Canada (Canada. Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Annual Report 1967-1968, Ottawa, 1969).
