By Cecilia Nasmith

Though tickets for the next Northumberland Learning Connection series on Alberta: The Maverick Province don't go on sale until next month, they are making one exception – tickets are available now for the kick-off address by Preston Manning on April 2.

Manning, the founder of the Reform Party which later amalgamated with the Conservative Party, will discuss the timely topic of populism at Cobourg's Victoria Hall.

Manning has been hailed as one of Canada's great political visionaries, and his impressive career is characterized by his championing the cause of democratic and political reform.

His presentation offers an inspirational and substantive discussion of both current issues and future challenges, flavoured with a surprising dose of humour one might not expect from a politician.

Prior to entering politics, Manning owned and operated a management-consulting firm that specialized in long-range planning and communications for the energy sector.

As an MP from 1993 to 2001, Manning actually founded two political parties – the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance. Both became the Official Opposition and led to the creation of the Conservative Party of Canada that would form the Federal government from 2006 through 2015, with Manning serving as Leader of the Opposition from 1997 to 2000.

Manning remains a reformer at heart, challenging the status quo and conventional thinking. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence and recipient of honourary degrees from six Canadian universities. He has also served as a Senior Fellow of the Canada West Foundation, the Fraser Institute, the Market Place Institute of Regency College (UBC) and as Distinguished Visitor at the University of Calgary and the University of Toronto.

Manning is the author of two books: The New Canada and Think Big. He also founded the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, a national not-for-profit organization that supports research, training and communications initiatives to achieve a more democratic Canadian society based on conservative principles.

Tickets to his Cobourg address are $25, available now through the NLC website.

The broader series, which will run through May 8, may help answer the question of why Albertans so often complain that their fellow Canadians just don't get it.

Program information for the Spring 2020 and ticket details (including information on early-bird discounts) will be posted on the NLC site Feb. 9.