Otto Lang

Last updated

see also Otto Lang (film producer) and Otto Lang (actor)
Adrian Merchant
(m. 1963;div. 1988)

Deborah McCawley
(m. 1989)
Otto Lang
PC OC KC
Minister of Transport
In office
26 September 1975 3 June 1979
Children7, including Amanda, Timothy
Education
Profession
  • Lawyer
  • dean

Otto Emil Lang PC OC KC (born 14 May 1932) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician.

Contents

Life and career

Lang was born in Handel, Saskatchewan. In 1961, he was appointed Dean of Law at the University of Saskatchewan, the youngest person to be appointed to that position, and served until 1969. [1]

Lang was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 election, and was re-elected in the 1972 and 1974 elections as the Member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Humboldt. He served as Minister without Portfolio (1968–70), Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board (1969–79), Acting Minister of Mines, Energy and Resources (1969), [2] Minister of Manpower and Immigration (1970–72), Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1972–75), Minister of Transport (1975–79), Acting Minister of Communications (1975), Acting Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1978), and Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1978). [1] His riding was abolished ahead of the 1979 federal election, and when he ran in the successor constituency of Saskatoon East, he lost to Robert Ogle of the New Democratic Party.

Following his career in politics, Lang served as the Executive Vice-president of Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd., Chairman of the Transport Institute at the University of Manitoba and as president, CEO of Centra Gas Manitoba Inc. He is currently retired, but serves as a director of several companies, including Investor's Group and the Winnipeg Airport Authority. In 2005-06 Lang served as the co-chair of the federal Liberal election campaign for Manitoba. He also took part in international activities as the Honorary Consul-General of Japan. [3]

A Rhodes Scholar, Lang holds a B.A. and an LL.B. from the University of Saskatchewan, a B.C.L from Oxford University (Exeter College) and an LL.D. from the University of Manitoba. He played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club, winning two Blues.

In 1999, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Family

Lang is married to Madam Justice Deborah McCawley of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba. They currently reside in Manitoba. He was previously married to Adrian Merchant, the daughter of Sally Merchant.

Lang is the father of seven children: Maria Lang (d. 1991); Andrew Lang, a communications advisor who was the federal Liberal candidate for the riding of Toronto—Danforth in 2008 and 2011; [4] Timothy Lang, President and CEO of Youth Employment Services (Canada) in Toronto; [5] [6] Gregory Lang, a consultant; [7] Elisabeth Lang, Superintendent of Bankruptcy at the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy; [8] [9] Adrian Lang, a lawyer and senior executive at Staples Canada in Toronto (she was formerly a partner with the law firm of Stikeman Elliott); [10] and Amanda Lang, a television news personality, best selling author and currently host of CTV's Taking Stock.

Election results

Federal Riding of Saskatoon East

1979 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
New Democratic OGLE, Bob15,234
Progressive Conservative MEYERS, Dan13,256
Liberal LANG, Otto12,631
Social Credit HOLTORF, Gary117
Marxist–Leninist NEUFELD, Eric64

Federal Riding of Saskatoon Humboldt

1974 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal LANG, Otto23,243
New Democratic FRIESEN, Julius11,826
Progressive Conservative RHEAUME, Gene11,592
Social Credit HOLTORF, Garry548
1972 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal LANG, Otto24,733
New Democratic TAYLOR, George16,426
Progressive Conservative BRAND, Lewis12,533
Social Credit BLACK, Gerald G.463
Not affiliatedREID, James102
Not affiliatedZAMULINSKI, Brian89
1968 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes
Liberal LANG, Otto15,210
New Democratic TAYLOR, George14,655
Progressive Conservative BRAND, Lewis14,444

Archives

There is an Otto E. Lang fonds at Library and Archives Canada. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Otto E. Lang fonds". Library and Archives Canada. 1957–1997. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  2. Winnipeg Free Press, 5 February 1969, p. 15. Lang was acting in the place of Joseph Greene, who was required to take a leave of absence due to poor health.
  3. Otto Lang [textual record]
  4. Andrew Lang - Profile [ permanent dead link ]
  5. "YES appoints Timothy Lang as new President & CEO". Youth Employment Services. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  6. Timothy Lang - Profile
  7. Gregory Lang - Profile
  8. Superintendent of Bankruptcy – Biography of Elisabeth Lang
  9. Elisabeth Lang - Profile [ permanent dead link ]
  10. Adrian Lang - Profile
  11. "Otto E. Lang fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 25 November 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by
Allan MacEachen
Minister of Manpower and Immigration
1970–1972
Succeeded by
Bryce Mackasey
Preceded by
John Turner
Minister of Justice
1972–1975
Succeeded by
Ron Basford
Preceded by
Jean Marchand
Minister of Transport
1975–1979
Succeeded by
Don Mazankowski
Preceded by
Pierre Juneau
Minister of Communications
1975
Succeeded by
Jeanne Sauvé
Preceded by
Ron Basford
Minister of Justice
1978
Succeeded by
Marc Lalonde