Preston Manning warns of ‘eastern alienation’

[Connie Fournier]

Preston Manning warns of ‘eastern alienation’

By Andy Radia | Canada Politics – Tue, 24 Jan, 2012
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-p ... 29187.html

The rallying cry of Preston Manning's Reform party was "the West wants in", referencing the long-standing belief Western Canada was excluded from mainstream political affairs of the country.

After the last federal election, the West is in and, according to Manning, the East is out.

"This will sound funny coming from me. I worry about Eastern alienation," Manning told The Globe and Mail.

"The different thing after this election is this shift in the political centre of gravity of the country. It's now an alignment between Ontario and the West, not an alignment between Ontario and Quebec. And that's got positive implications. It's got things to worry about, too."

Manning suggests that those east of the Ottawa River have a diminished voice in Canada's new political landscape.

Certainly, the last election taught us that parties no longer need seats in Quebec to win a majority government - even if the Conservatives had lost all of their seats in La Belle Provence, they would still enjoy a comfortable majority.

Before the next election, the net addition of an additional 24 seats in Ontario and the West could further diminish the East's voice in Ottawa.

But Manning, who now runs the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, isn't gloating over the west's gain and the east's pain.

"We kind of joke about this eastern alienation," he says.

"But then I usually sober them down and say, 'You remember how you felt when you thought you were out of it. ... Nobody in the country should ever feel out of it like that again."

[Connie Fournier]

What a pathetic has-been, looking for someone...anyone...to give him some press time.

Loser.

[CrunchyCon]

What a pathetic has-been, looking for someone...anyone...to give him some press time.

Loser.

I'm not sure that I would call him him a loser. However, I do agree that Preston appears to be evolving into the Joe Clark of the former Reform Party.

[Connie Fournier]

What a pathetic has-been, looking for someone...anyone...to give him some press time.

Loser.

I'm not sure that I would call him him a loser. However, I do agree that Preston appears to be evolving into the Joe Clark of the former Reform Party.

Preston Manning won me over to the Reform Party with his talk of populism and democracy and freedom. It was a real blow to me to realize that he was a big fat liar and he never believed any of the things he said...he was just using us. I have lost all respect for the man, and I think that your Joe Clark analogy is just perfect.

Now, I just wish he would go away.

[styky]

"Eastern alienation"!!! Bite me

[RedDog]

They made their own beds. As Ralph once said, "let the eastern bastards freeze in the dark". Payback's a bitch hey?

Worked 13 hours at two jobs today. Not enough staff. No people. Now quit whining and get out here and make yourself useful. Voila - no longer an "alienated" easterner.

[skeena484]

I’m beginning to believe that the only people in Canada who have faith and pride in this nation are living west of “The Lake Head/ Port Arthur/ Fort William/ Thunder Bay.”
Had Preston Manning not put Canada ahead of his own political ambitions he would have undoubtedly joined with the Western Canada Concept party and we would have solved this problem long ago.

[Hodgson]

Why the hate Connie?

As for the eastern thing...Ontario and the Maritimes are well represented.
Quebec can come in anytime if they'd stop voting for fringe nonsense.
Maxine Bernier is a good rep!

[Ben Kenobi]

What the heck Preston?

I thought you were one of us. I see I was sorely mistaken.

[Connie Fournier]

Why the hate Connie?

As for the eastern thing...Ontario and the Maritimes are well represented.
Quebec can come in anytime if they'd stop voting for fringe nonsense.
Maxine Bernier is a good rep!

I explained why. He tricked us all into supporting his fledgling party, then, when the membership decided they wanted a new leader, he and his buddies nuked it. Manning showed clearly that he didn't give a fig about democracy, or about the hours and hours of hard work put in by people who trusted him. He's a snake oil salesman.

[Hodgson]

I remember him not leaving peacably, but I guess the details are beyond me.
he sabotaged Stockwell Day too didn't he?

[Connie Fournier]

I remember him not leaving peacably, but I guess the details are beyond me.
he sabotaged Stockwell Day too didn't he?

Yes, he did. And, Stockwell Day had no intention of merging with the Progressive Conservatives. One more election and the PC Party would have been completely decimated and the Canadian Alliance would have had the power to make sure that Reform democratic principles were kept alive. But, Stephen Harper couldn't wait to jump into bed with Peter MacKay, and, despite the fact that we had all the money and all the members, the PC Party was allowed to take hold of the agenda and there are virtually no Reform principles left in the resulting party. It's dead, Jim.

I hold Preston Manning and his enormous ego responsible for that.

[styky]

On my first meeting with Preston Manning I couldn't help but notice that he was a fingernail biter. If he doesn't have confidence in himself why should I.