Chester Ronning
politician
- December 13, 1894
- December 31, 1984
- 90 years
- pneumonia
About Chester Ronning
Chester Ronning, 90, Canadian diplomat and politician, pneumonia.
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Full Biography
|Chester Alvin Ronning CC AOE (December 13, 1894 – December 31, 1984) was a Canadian educator, politician, and diplomat.
Ronning was born in Fancheng, China, now in Xiangyang, Hubei province, the son of Norwegian American Lutheran missionaries, and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1916 with a B.Sc. Ronning's family moved from China to the Peace River country of Alberta. Halvor Ronning, Chester's father, was instrumental in establishing a Norwegian settlement north-west of Grande Prairie called Valhalla Centre. When Chester Ronning started his studies at the University of Alberta, he travelled by horse from Valhalla Centre to Edmonton along the Edson Trail. This was the only "road" connecting the Peace country to the provincial capital. In later years the Northern Alberta Railway (now part of Canadian National Railway) was constructed.
He returned to China to serve as a missionary from 1922 to 1927 and then returned to Alberta where he took up a position as Principal of the Camrose Lutheran College, a position he held for 15 years. In 1942 he submitted a master's thesis to the University of Alberta's College of Education entitled "A study of an Alberta Protestant private school: the Camrose Lutheran College, a residential high school."
He was a member of the United Farmers of Alberta and on October 25, 1932, he was elected in a by-election for Camrose. From his entry into the legislature, he was an outspoken adherent of the newly formed Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party. He was defeated in the 1935 provincial election that wiped out the UFA government. He was leader of the Alberta CCF from 1940 to 1942. The 1940 Alberta election saw no CCFers elected despite winning 11 per cent of the vote. Ronning stepped aside as leader in favour of Elmer Roper, who won a 1942 by-election to become Alberta's first elected CCF MLA. Ronning ran unsuccessfully for the CCF in the 1945 federal election in the riding of Camrose, losing to the Social Credit candidate, James Alexander Marshall.
Ronning served in diplomatic posts in China (1945–1951), Norway (1954–1957), India (1957–1964) and the United Nations. He also participated in the international commissions on Korea (1954) and Laos (1961–62) and undertook special missions to Hanoi (1965–66) in attempts to mediate the Vietnam War. In 1967 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1972. He was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1983.
The legacy of Ronning continues with the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life at the University of Alberta Augustana Campus in Camrose, Alberta. The Centre exists to facilitate interdisciplinary research, critical teaching, ethical reflection, and public programming on a range of issues in which religious communities, practices and ideas are directly implicated, or on which thoughtful religious perspectives might be brought to bear. Chester Ronning School in Camrose, Alberta, is also named after him.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Ronning
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 26, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Chester Ronning's archived record and the sources above.
1.In which city and country was Chester Ronning born?
- A.Edmonton, Canada
- B.Oslo, Norway
- C.Fancheng, Chinacorrect
- D.Grande Prairie, Canada
Chester Ronning was born in Fancheng, China, which is now located in the Hubei province.
Source: early life section
2.What degree did Chester Ronning earn from the University of Alberta in 1916?
- A.B.A.
- B.Ph.D.
- C.M.Sc.
- D.B.Sc.correct
Chester Ronning graduated from the University of Alberta in 1916 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Source: education section
3.How did Chester Ronning travel to Edmonton to begin his studies at the University of Alberta?
- A.By boat
- B.By car
- C.By train
- D.By horsecorrect
Chester Ronning travelled by horse from Valhalla Centre to Edmonton along the Edson Trail to start university.
Source: early life section
4.What position did Chester Ronning hold for 15 years after returning from China in 1927?
- A.Professor at the University of Alberta
- B.Diplomat to Norway
- C.Leader of the Alberta CCF
- D.Principal of Camrose Lutheran Collegecorrect
After returning to Alberta in 1927, Chester Ronning served as the Principal of Camrose Lutheran College for 15 years.
Source: career section
5.In 1932, to which legislative body was Chester Ronning elected?
- A.Canadian House of Commons
- B.Alberta Legislaturecorrect
- C.United Nations Assembly
- D.Grande Prairie City Council
Chester Ronning was elected to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election on October 25, 1932.
Source: political career section
6.Which political party did Chester Ronning lead from 1940 to 1942?
- A.Liberal Party of Canada
- B.Co-operative Commonwealth Federationcorrect
- C.United Farmers of Alberta
- D.Social Credit Party
Chester Ronning served as the leader of the Alberta Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) from 1940 to 1942.
Source: political career section
7.Who succeeded Chester Ronning as the leader of the Alberta CCF?
- A.A.J. Smith
- B.Halvor Ronning
- C.Elmer Ropercorrect
- D.James Alexander Marshall
Chester Ronning stepped aside as leader of the Alberta CCF in 1942 in favour of Elmer Roper.
Source: political career section
8.In the 1945 federal election, to whom did Chester Ronning lose the riding of Camrose?
- A.Elmer Roper
- B.Halvor Ronning
- C.James Alexander Marshallcorrect
- D.An independent candidate
Chester Ronning lost the 1945 federal election in Camrose to Social Credit candidate James Alexander Marshall.
Source: political career section
9.Chester Ronning served as a diplomat in which of these countries?
- A.Japan
- B.Vietnam
- C.Indiacorrect
- D.Russia
Chester Ronning served in diplomatic posts in several locations including India from 1957 to 1964.
Source: diplomatic career section
10.What was the purpose of Chester Ronning's special missions to Hanoi in 1965–66?
- A.To teach at a local college
- B.To mediate the Vietnam Warcorrect
- C.To establish a new embassy
- D.To conduct agricultural research
Chester Ronning undertook special missions to Hanoi in 1965–66 to attempt to mediate the Vietnam War.
Source: diplomatic career section
11.In what year was Chester Ronning promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada?
- A.1967
- B.1983
- C.1972correct
- D.1984
After being made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1967, Chester Ronning was promoted to Companion in 1972.
Source: awards section
12.When was Chester Ronning inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence?
- A.1983correct
- B.1984
- C.1967
- D.1972
Chester Ronning received the honour of being inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1983.
Source: awards section
13.What is the name of the research centre at the University of Alberta Augustana Campus named after Chester Ronning?
- A.The Ronning Diplomatic Institute
- B.The Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Lifecorrect
- C.The Ronning Education Archive
- D.The Alberta Peace Research Centre
The Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life is located at the University of Alberta Augustana Campus.
Source: legacy section
14.Who was instrumental in establishing the Norwegian settlement of Valhalla Centre?
- A.Halvor Ronningcorrect
- B.Chester Ronning
- C.Elmer Roper
- D.James Alexander Marshall
Halvor Ronning, the father of Chester Ronning, was instrumental in establishing the Norwegian settlement called Valhalla Centre.
Source: early life section
15.What is the title of the master's thesis Chester Ronning submitted to the University of Alberta in 1942?
- A.A study of an Alberta Protestant private school: the Camrose Lutheran Collegecorrect
- B.Diplomacy in the Vietnam War
- C.A history of Chinese missions
- D.The Edson Trail and Alberta development
Chester Ronning submitted a thesis entitled 'A study of an Alberta Protestant private school: the Camrose Lutheran College, a residential high school' in 1942.
Source: career section
16.In what year did Chester Ronning pass away?
- A.1983
- B.1984correct
- C.1966
- D.1972
Chester Ronning died on December 31, 1984.
Source: biographical overview
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