Otto Lang

see also Otto Lang (film producer) and Otto Lang (actor)

The Honourable Otto Lang PC OC KC
Minister of Transport
In office 26 September 1975 – 3 June 1979
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Jean Marchand
Succeeded by	Don Mazankowski
Minister of Communications
Acting 25 October 1975 – 4 December 1975
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Pierre Juneau
Succeeded by	Jeanne Sauvé
Minister of Justice Attorney General of Canada
Acting 3 August 1978 – 8 August 1978
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Ron Basford
Succeeded by	Marc Lalonde
In office 28 January 1972 – 25 September 1975
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	John Turner
Succeeded by	Ron Basford
Minister of Manpower and Immigration
In office 24 September 1970 – 27 January 1972
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Allan MacEachen
Succeeded by	Bryce Mackasey
Minister without portfolio
In office 6 July 1968 – 23 September 1970
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Humboldt
In office 25 June 1968 – 21 May 1979
Preceded by	Riding created
Succeeded by	Robert Ogle
Personal details
Born	Otto Emil Lang (1932-05-14) 14 May 1932 Handel, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Adrian Merchant ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1988)​ Deborah McCawley ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	7, including Amanda
Education	University of Saskatchewan (BA, LLB) Exeter College, Oxford (BCL) University of Manitoba (LLD)
Profession	Lawyer dean

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

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.

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), 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). He was defeated in the 1979 federal election by 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.

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; Timothy Lang, President and CEO of Youth Employment Services in Toronto; Gregory Lang, a consultant; Elisabeth Lang, Superintendent of Bankruptcy at the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy; Adrian Lang, a lawyer and executive at Bank of Montreal in Toronto (she was formerly a partner with the law firm of Stikeman Elliott); and Amanda Lang, a television news personality.

Election results

Federal Riding of Saskatoon East

1979 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	New Democratic	OGLE, Bob	15,234
	Progressive Conservative	MEYERS, Dan	13,256
	Liberal	LANG, Otto	12,631
	Social Credit	HOLTORF, Gary	117
	Marxist–Leninist	NEUFELD, Eric	64

Federal Riding of Saskatoon Humboldt

1974 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	LANG, Otto	23,243
	New Democratic	FRIESEN, Julius	11,826
	Progressive Conservative	RHEAUME, Gene	11,592
	Social Credit	HOLTORF, Garry	548

1972 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	LANG, Otto	24,733
	New Democratic	TAYLOR, George	16,426
	Progressive Conservative	BRAND, Lewis	12,533
	Social Credit	BLACK, Gerald G.	463
	Not affiliated	REID, James	102
	Not affiliated	ZAMULINSKI, Brian	89

1968 Canadian federal election
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	LANG, Otto	15,210
	New Democratic	TAYLOR, George	14,655
	Progressive Conservative	BRAND, Lewis	14,444

Archives

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

External links

• Otto Lang – Parliament of Canada biography