Hector Daniel Lang (b. 1948)
Dan Lang and his twin brother Archie were born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia parents Hector and Margaret Lang. Dan’s grandfather, great uncle and first cousin once removed were all involved in public service and it was a common topic at the dinner table.1)
Dan moved to the Yukon in 1958 when his father started work on the Whitehorse hydroelectric dam.2) Dan served a term on the non-partisan Yukon Territorial Council from 1974 to 1978. He represented the district of Whitehorse Porter Creek East as a Progressive Conservative member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly from 1978 to 1992. He was the first person to represent the riding, which was dissolved after his term.3)
During his eighteen years in office, he was integral to the process of the devolution of power from Ottawa to the Yukon.4) The Yukon Executive Committee was divided when Dan Lang voted to have Pearson removed as Commissioner during the Lueck affair. The motion was defeated, Lang resigned from the committee, and Elinor Millard took his place.5)
In 1985, Dan started a successful career in real estate.6) He ran for Mayor of Whitehorse in 1994 but was defeated by Kathy Watson. In 2008, Dan was the vice-chair of the Yukon College board of governors and contributed to many community organisations.7)
Lang was appointed a Conservative member of the Senate of Canada in 2009.8) He succeeded Liberal senator Ione Christensen. Lang worked on two committees of the Senate of Canada: the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples and the Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources. Senator Lang was also a member of the BC-Yukon caucus of the government.9) He sponsored a bill in the Senate to repeal the long-gun registry that was so unpopular in the Yukon.10)
Dan Lang was eligible to remain a Senator until 2023 but announced in 2017 that he was retiring early to spend more time with his family.11)