Preston Manning

Preston Manning – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotations

Discover Preston Manning’s journey — the founding of the Reform Party, his years in Canadian federal politics, his efforts in political reform, and some of his most notable quotes.

Introduction

Ernest Preston Manning (born June 10, 1942) is a Canadian politician best known as the founding leader of the Reform Party of Canada. Over his career, he played a central role in reshaping the conservative movement in Canada, advocating for democratic reform, fiscal responsibility, and greater regional representation. His influence continues through institutions and writings aimed at strengthening democracy in Canada.

Early Life and Family

Preston Manning was born in Edmonton, Alberta to Muriel Aileen (née Preston) and Ernest Manning, who would serve as Premier of Alberta from 1943 to 1968 and later as a Canadian senator.

In its early years, the party faced skepticism and was often labeled “fringe.” Manning himself addressed this in his writings and speeches, resisting easy comparisons to American political movements.

Rise to National Politics

1988–1993: Building Support

In its first federal election (1988), the Reform Party ran many candidates but won no seats. Manning ran against former Prime Minister Joe Clark in the Yellowhead riding but was defeated.

Over the next few years, Manning traveled across Canada, building organizational infrastructure and raising awareness. In 1989, Deborah Grey won a by-election for Reform in Beaver River—the party’s first seat in Parliament.

1993 Federal Election: Breakthrough

In the 1993 federal election, the Reform Party made dramatic gains. It won 52 seats, largely from Western Canada, propelling Manning into Parliament. He won the riding of Calgary Southwest.

At this point, the Progressive Conservative Party was decimated, and Reform emerged as a major force in the right-of-center political space in Canada.

Official Opposition & Leadership of the Opposition

In the 1997 election, Reform increased its seat count to 60, and Manning became Leader of the Official Opposition (June 2, 1997 to March 27, 2000).

As Opposition Leader, Manning advocated for further democratic reforms, pressuring the governing Liberal Party on fiscal restraint, Senate reform, and decentralization.

Challenges, Realignment & Later Career

By the late 1990s, Manning and Reform recognized that vote-splitting between Reform and the Progressive Conservatives was limiting the conservatives’ overall success nationally.

He spearheaded the United Alternative strategy to bring the right together. At Reform conventions, delegates endorsed exploring merger options. In March 2000, Reform officially folded into a new entity: the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (often called the Canadian Alliance).

In the leadership contest for the new party, Manning ran but was defeated by Stockwell Day. He remained in Parliament for a time but resigned his seat on January 31, 2002.

After exiting electoral politics, Manning incurred no further major public office roles but remained highly active in political thought, public policy, and institutional development.

Legacy & Influence

• Modernizing Canadian Conservatism: Manning is often credited as a foundational figure in the evolution of conservative politics in Canada. His Reform Party provided a bridge between regional discontent and national conservative organization.

• Democratic Reform Advocacy: Through his speeches and writings, he pushed for more citizen engagement in democracy, Senate reform, and more responsive institutions.

• Institutional Legacy: He founded (or helped found) institutions like the Manning Foundation for Democratic Education and the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, to advance public policy education, leadership, and network-building among conservatives.

• Intellectual Influence: Beyond politics, Manning’s books—The New Canada, Think Big: My Adventures in Life and Democracy, Faith, Leadership, and Public Life—continue to shape debates around governance, civic renewal, and the role of faith in public life.

• Regional & National Balance: One of his enduring tensions was balancing strong Western Canadian support with expanding a more unified national base—a challenge that persisted through his political career.

Personality & Guiding Principles

Preston Manning’s public persona and personal philosophy reflect several consistent traits:

• Faith-informed worldview: Manning identifies as a Christian and often speaks about the role of religious convictions in shaping his commitments to public life.

• Pragmatic idealism: He combined reform impulses with practical politics—not merely rhetoric, but institution building and structural change.

• Intellectual rigor: He frequently criticized superficial policy debates, urging deeper, well-reasoned public engagement.

• Regional empathy: He sought to express and channel the frustrations and hopes of Western Canadians, while also trying to reach across provincial divides.

• Persistence and resilience: Even amid setbacks—leadership defeats, criticisms, political resistance—he continued to invest in the infrastructure of ideas and civic organizations.

Selected Quotations

Here are several notable quotes by Preston Manning that encapsulate his thought and convictions:

• “Nothing disturbs me more than superficiality and mere sloganizing on matters of public policy, and the suspicion that what the speaker is saying represents the full extent of his knowledge on the subject.”

• “Besides my religious commitment, the greatest single factor that has enabled me to pursue my business and political objectives has been the security and freedom of my home.”

• “The trouble with ‘sacrifices as symbolic acts’ is that the immediate impact on those for whom the sacrifice is made quickly fades, while the impact on those who actually make the sacrifice can go on and on.”

• “Do not ghettoize society by putting people into legal categories of gender, race, ethnicity, language, or other such characteristics.”

• “New Canada must be workable without Quebec, but it must be open and attractive enough to include a New Quebec.”

• “This not to say that the Reform Party appears to be the Canadian equivalent of the Republican Party or that I am trying to pass myself off as a modern-day Lincoln.”

Lessons from Preston Manning

From Manning’s life and work, several lessons emerge:

1. Change often begins outside the mainstream
   Building alternative structures and networks may be necessary before transformation can occur within existing institutions.

2. Ideas require institutions
   His creation of foundations and think tanks shows that intellectual influence persists when grounded in organizational support, not just personality.

3. Balance principle and pragmatism
   Manning’s efforts to merge parties and realign conservative forces reflect an understanding that ideals must engage with political realities.

4. Depth over slogans
   His insistence on substance over catchy messaging is a warning to avoid shallow rhetoric in public life.

5. Continuity beyond office
   Even after leaving electoral politics, one can remain influential—through education, writing, mentoring, and civic infrastructure.

Conclusion

Preston Manning’s political journey—from the son of a prominent provincial leader to founder of a national party—reflects both ambition and reflection. He reshaped the landscape of Canadian conservatism, advocating for democratic reform, accountability, and regional voice. While his play for national dominance encountered limits, his lasting legacy lies not just in the electoral gains his party made, but in the ideas and institutions that continue to animate public discourse in Canada.