Michelle Lang
Encyclopedia
Michelle Justine Lang was a Calgary Herald
reporter and the first Canadian
journalist to die in the War in Afghanistan
.
and Simon Fraser University
. Her first job as a reporter was at the Prince George Free Press
. She later moved on to Moose Jaw Times Herald and the Regina Leader-Post
, then moved to Calgary
to become a print journalist for the Calgary Herald. She won a National Newspaper Award
in 2008 for best beat reporting
, for her reporting on on national and provincial health-care issues.
when the armoured military vehicle she was riding in struck a roadside bomb. She died of her wounds and four Canadian soldiers were killed in the blast.
She was survived by her fiancé, Michael Louie.
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
reporter and the first Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist to die in the War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
.
Career
Born and raised in Vancouver, Lang was an alumnus of Magee Secondary SchoolMagee Secondary School
Magee Secondary School is one of the first public high schools located in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Magee is fed by the surrounding elementary schools in its catchment area. They include Maple Grove Elementary School, Dr. R.E. McKechnie Elementary School,...
and Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. Her first job as a reporter was at the Prince George Free Press
Prince George Free Press
The Prince George Free Press is a twice-weekly newspaper in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It began publishing in November 1994 on a weekly basis but within months added a second edition per week. Its current publisher is Phil Beaulieu and its current editor is Bill Phillips.It is owned...
. She later moved on to Moose Jaw Times Herald and the Regina Leader-Post
Regina Leader-Post
The Regina Leader-Post is the daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and now a member of the Postmedia Network.The newspaper was first published as The Leader in 1883, by Nicholas Flood Davin...
, then moved to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
to become a print journalist for the Calgary Herald. She won a National Newspaper Award
National Newspaper Awards
The National Newspaper Awards are prizes awarded annually for the best work in Canadian newspapers. The awards were first given in 1949 by the Toronto Press Club, which ran the awards until 1989...
in 2008 for best beat reporting
Beat reporting
Beat reporting, also known as specialized reporting, is a genre of journalism that can be described as the craft of in-depth reporting on a particular issue, sector, organization or institution over time. Beat reporters build up a base of knowledge on and gain familiarity with the topic, allowing...
, for her reporting on on national and provincial health-care issues.
Death
Lang was on a six-week assignment to Afghanistan for the Herald and Canwest News ServiceCanwest News Service
Postmedia News is a national news agency with correspondents in Canada, Europe, and the United States and is part of the Canadian newspaper chain owned by Postmedia Network Inc.-History:...
when the armoured military vehicle she was riding in struck a roadside bomb. She died of her wounds and four Canadian soldiers were killed in the blast.
She was survived by her fiancé, Michael Louie.