The passing of Dr. Ronald William Lang (BA’68, MA’69, LLD’14) on May 15, 2023, a visionary, champion, advocate of workers' rights and a trailblazer in public policy, left a profound impact and void in the University of Waterloo, Faculty of Arts, United College, and broader academic communities.
From his humble beginnings on a family farm to his trailblazing role as Director of Research, then Director of Research and Legislation for the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Dr. Lang’s journey was a testament to the indomitable spirit of an academic professional who fought for the rights of workers and the development of progressive public policy.
With a desire for more knowledge and a drive to create positive change, Dr. Lang pursued higher education as an adult student at the University of Waterloo, Faculty of Arts obtaining both a Bachelor of Art’s (Honours) in Political Science in 1968, and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science in 1969. In October 1969, Dr. Lang crossed the pond and joined the London School of Economics (LSE) with a Canadian Council Scholarship and was awarded his PhD in 1974.