Reform Party of Canada

:For the Reform Party that existed prior to Canadian Confederation, see Reform Party (pre-Confederation)

Political roots and the party's creation

In 1986, a conference called "Canada's Economic and Political Future" was held in Vancouver, British Columbia. This conference led to the formation of the Reform Party in the following year. The party's founding occurred as the coalition of Western Prairie populists, Quebec nationalists, Ontario business leaders, and Atlantic Red Tories that made up Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative Party began to fracture.

Related Topics:
1986 - Vancouver - British Columbia - Populists - Quebec - Nationalist - Ontario - Atlantic - Red Tories - Brian Mulroney - Progressive Conservative Party

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The party was the brainchild of a group of discontented Western interest groups who were upset with the Tory government and the lack of a voice for Western concerns at the national level. They believed the West needed its own party if it was to be heard. Their main complaints against the Mulroney government were its alleged favouritism towards Quebec, lack of fiscal responsibility, and a failure to support a program of institutional reform (for example, of the Senate). The roots of this discontent lay mainly in their belief that a package of proposed constitutional amendments, called the Meech Lake Accord, failed to meet the needs of Westerners and Canadian unity overall.

Related Topics:
Western - Tory - Quebec - Senate - Meech Lake Accord

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The Reform Party was founded as a populist party to promote reform of democratic institutions. However, shortly after the 1987 founding convention, social and fiscal conservatives became dominant within the party, and pushed it to the political right. Their political aims were a reduction in government spending on social programs, and reductions in taxation.

Related Topics:
Populist - 1987 - Social - Conservatives - Political right

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