Preston Manning

Preston Manning (born June 10, 1942), Canadian politician, was the first leader of the Reform Party of Canada (a Canadian federal political party now known as the Canadian Alliance).

Manning came from a political background; he was the son of Ernest Manning, Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968. In 1964 Preston Manning graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.A. in economics. He ran for M.P. in the 1965 federal election as a Social Credit candidate, but was defeated.

He formed the Reform Party in 1987, but was not elected to the House of Commons until 1993, when Reform had its first major electoral success, replacing the Progressive Conservative Party as Canada's right wing party. In the 1997 election the party became Canada's official opposition, with Manning becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Manning was succeeded as leader by the younger and rather more flamboyant Stockwell Day in 1999. In 2002 he retired from federal politics. He is now a senior fellow at Massey College at the University of Toronto.

External Sites

• Official site (http://www.prestonmanning.ca/)