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Preston Manning

Image c/o: Jake Wright, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Preston Manning

Credentials

  • Manning is the recipient of honorary degrees from:1“About,” Manning Foundation for Democratic Education. Archived February 23, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/D78hO
    • the University of Toronto
    • York University
    • McMaster Divinity School
    • Tyndale University
    • the University of Alberta
    • the University of Calgary
    • the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
    • the University of British Columbia
    • Trinity Western University

Background

Preston Manning founded the Reform Party of Canada, which would later become the Canadian Alliance Party and merge with the Progressive Conservatives to create the new Conservative Party of Canada.2“Ernest Preston Manning,” Government of Alberta, July 13, 2020. Archived February 23, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/UsN0d

Preston Manning also founded the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, which is now the Canada Strong and Free Network. This group advertises its goal “to support Canada’s conservative movement by networking best practices and ideas pertaining to limited government, free enterprise, individual responsibility and a more robust civil society.”3“About,” The Canada Strong and Free Network. Archived February 23, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/zBzMl He additionally founded the Manning Foundation for Democratic Education in 2007.4“About,” Manning Foundation for Democratic Education. Archived February 23, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/D78hO

Manning served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 until 2002, representing Calgary Southwest, and was Leader of the Official Opposition from 1997 to 2000. He is a fellow with the Canada West Foundation and the Fraser Institute.

According to the Manning Foundation, Preston Manning resigned from his executive roles with both the Foundation and the Centre/ Canada Strong and Free Network in 2016 and “fully retired” from the organizations in June 2020; however, he “continues to contribute to advancing and enriching democratic engagement in Canada through his media appearances, speaking engagements, writing, and contributions to various public policy development initiatives.”5“About,” Manning Foundation for Democratic Education. Archived February 23, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/D78hO

Stance on Climate Change

June 13, 2017

Preston Manning commented in an interview with HazNet, the magazine of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network:6“Living within your means – an interview with Preston Manning,” HazNet, June 13, 2017. Archived July 5, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MHCMj

“I think there is still a bit of skepticism out there about some of the environmental science and climate science, and one thing I worry about is the polarization of this issue. Canadians are very much influenced and our media are very much influenced by what happens in the United States and the US political culture tends to polarize on every issue here. People go from one end of the spectrum to the other end of the spectrum and they fight it out and usually come eventually to some kind of compromise, although recently in the US there seems to be a great difficulty at arriving at those compromises.”

Key Quotes

March 9, 2013

“There are more effective ways of tackling environmental problems – including global warming, proliferation of plastics, urban sprawl, and the loss of biodiversity – than by treaties, top-down regulations, and other approaches offered by big governments and their dependents,” Manning said in his state of the conservative movement speech, according to the prepared text published by Macleans. 7Aaron Wherry. “Preston Manning on the state of the conservative movement,” Macleans, March 9, 2013. Archived July 5, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Nevlg

Key Actions

Ongoing

Preston Manning was a regular attendee and speaker at the Canada Strong & Free Network’s annual networking conference.8“Hon. Preston Manning,” Canada Strong & Free Network. Archived February 24, 2024. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/eAwWn 9“Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference 2022,” Canada Strong & Free Network. Archived July 5, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p0Cv7

November 2019

Then-Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney appointed Manning to a panel to ensure that Alberta got a “fair deal” in the Confederation. The “‘Fair Deal’ panel will now consider the establishment of a provincial revenue agency, withdrawing Alberta’s workers from the Canada Pension Plan and removing the RCMP in favour of a provincial police force. Alberta will even consider whether it should write its own constitution,” The Globe and Mail reported.10Justin Giovannetti. “Premier Jason Kenney announces ‘Fair Deal’ panel to advance Alberta’s issues and autonomy,” The Globe and Mail, November 9, 2019. Archived July 5, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qw9ea

November 2007

According to the Fraser Institute‘s 2007 Annual Report, Preston Manning was the author of a report co-published with the Montreal Economic Institute titled Vision for a Canada Strong and Free.11“2007 Annual Report: Changing the World,” Fraser Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Manning released the book at a Toronto gala featuring the “Skeptical Environmentalist” Bjorn Lomborg.

Among the report’s recommendations was to “Streamline regulatory processes, including those pertaining to environmental issues, to ensure that energy project applications are dealt with as efficiently
and quickly as possible.”12Mike Harris and Preston Manning. “Vision for a Canada Strong and Free” (PDF), The Fraser Institute and Montreal Economic Institute, 2007. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Affiliations

Social Media

  • Preston Manning does not appear to be personally active on social media.

Publications

Sample publications include:

Books include:

  • The New Canada. Macmillan of Canada (1991).
  • Think Big: My Adventures in Life and Democracy. McClelland & Stewart (2002).
  • Faith, Leadership And Public Life. Castle Quay Books. 2017.
  • Do Something!: 365 Ways You Can Strengthen Canada. Sutherland House (2020)

Other Resources

Resources

Related Profiles

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