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Despite declarations of race's irrelevance, the Conservative Party of Canada's (CPC) stance on race-related policies under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's leadership was key to every electoral campaign it fought. Moreover, it is not despite but because of their race that racialized political elites have been incorporated into the CPC and its antecedents. Indeed, beginning in the 1990s, the inclusion of Asian Members of Parliament (MP) became for the Reform Party of Canada, a weapon in the struggle for electoral success; that is, part of an era of Conservative racial realignment. By tracing the role of Asian Conservative MP in the rise of the Reform Party since its 1987 inception and the electoral success of the CPC (2006–2015), this article explores how racialized political elites become crucial to the legitimization of the racial state when it is through a discourse of inclusion that exclusion is crafted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of the Reform Party in the foreign policy of the Stephen Harper government. Through a comprehensive analysis of various Reform Party documents, called “Blue Books,” from the 1980s and 1990s, this paper assesses the degree to which the Harper government implemented these policy proposals in its foreign policy (foreign affairs, international trade, defense, foreign aid and immigration). It shows that, to a surprising degree, many of these Reform Party foreign policy proposals were implemented. An evaluation of the 10-year record of the Harper government shows that of the 31 priorities identified in the Blue Books, 15 were achieved, three were attempted, 11 were avoided, and two were not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sounding a note of warning for Europe's mainstream political parties, Claudia Chwalisz traces the rise of Stephen Harper and Canada's populist right-wing Reform party, which she argues was able to capitalise on a public disenchantment with traditional parties that today is being felt in many European democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a report introduced by the Select Special Committee on Upper House Reform of Alberta in 1985 which has been used to popularize Triple-E Senate proposals and reframe discussions about Senate reform. Topics discussed include the formation of the Reform Party of Canada, the Bills S-4 and C-43 brought in by the Conservative minority government of Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the applicability of the amending contents of the Part V of the Constitution Act of 1982.

This essay examines the significance o f American political ideas within the political culture of the right in Alberta and Canada. While other parts of Canada distrust this influence from south of the border and have frequently denounced it, things are different in Alberta. In fact, Alberta is seen as being closest to the United States, especially from a political perspective. Drawing on work on political culture, the author will explore the nature of this American influence. Specifically, the author will analyze both its historical dimension dating back to the birth of the province, as well as its contemporary dimension within political parties, such as the Reform Party under Preston Manning and the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper, including a consideration of the question of neo-conservatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article offers information on the coverage of the labour history journal "Labour/Le Travail" of labor movements in Canada. The representation of western workers and their class identity in the journal is explored. The Reform Party launched in 1987 emphasized on fulfilling the aspirations of western workers in Canada. The party's agenda was how fulfilling the aspirations will bring about changes in Canada. The West's relationship to the rest of the country is stated to have been a major theme in Canadian labour history. The representation of perceptions of the West in the journal is also analysed.

The article focuses on the political developments in Canada in 2000. It highlights some of the political issues which have risen during the year. Among the issues include the appointment of Beverly McLachlin as the first woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the establishment of a new national political party Reform Party, and the death of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Included are the list of the cabinet members of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien II and the charts on the election to House of Commons, changes in the membership of the House, and cabinet composition.

Focuses on the political conditions in the Western Canada. Generation of political parties; Rejection of Canada's Federal Parliamentary System; Survival of the Reform Party.

Although the party systems of contemporary mature democracies are very resilient, the failure of new parties to become major actors on the political stage is not preordained. Founded only a decade ago, the Reform Party has played a significant role in reshaping Canada's national party system. Using data from a large representative national survey, this paper investigates the beliefs, attitudes and behavior of members of Reform. Most Reformers joined their new party in response to purposive incentives, multivariate analyses indicating that such incentives are significant elements in a larger set of factors encouraging members to work actively for their new party. The ability of purposive incentives, rather than the lures of 'fame and fortune', to attract members and stimulate them to work on the party's behalf gives Reform important organizational advantages in its efforts to solidify and expand its position in the national party system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toronto University of Toronto Press, 1995, 325 pp. Before Of Passionate Intensity: Right-Wing Populism and the Reform Party of Canada hit the market, at least four books, and numerous more [...]

Examines the way in which the Reform Party of Canada has brought its New Right populist discourse to three nation-defining areas of public policy. Bilingualism and the status of Quebec within Canadian federalism; Multiculturalism and immigration; Aboriginal self-governance.

Explores the meaning of gaps in electoral support for the federal Liberal Party between Ontario, the West and the Atlantic Canada using regression decomposition approach. Information on the gap in Reform party support between the West and Ontario in the 1997 federal election; Understanding the regional differences in voting; Conclusion.

Examines the relationship between coverage in news media and popular support for the Reform Party, an insurgent party in the 1993 Canadian election campaign. Impact of dynamic equilibrium on party coverage and support; Implication of increase news coverage on party support; Influence of media decisions in the electoral support for parties.

The article discusses several developments related to the politics and government of Canada in 1997. The Reform, Conservative, and New Democratic parties decided to contest the 36th general election. The parliament changed the law that installs a permanent national electoral register to be maintained by Elections Canada. Meanwhile, two constitutional changes were made to allow Quebec and Newfoundland to change their educational systems. It is noted that northern British Columbia was the first one to use new provincial recall legislation that removes a member of the legislative assembly in the province.

Discusses politics in Canada focusing on the apparent success of the Reform Party of Canada. Why people seem to like the Reform Party; Information on some previous elections in Canada; Reform Party's political agenda; Debate over Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords.

Discusses various aspects of the social bases and ideological and policy orientations of the Reform Party of Canada. Core political attitudes of the party's activists; Mobilization strategy; Impact of party mobilization on future divisions within the party.

Discusses various aspects of the Canadian Reform Party's proposals for reform of political representation. Advocacy of direct democracy; Models of representative behavior; Constitutional reform as the means of democratizing Canadian politics; Account of collusion between special interest groups; Preference for market-based over political decision-making.

Profiles Preston Manning of Canada's Reform Party. Regarding Manning as a postmodern conservative; Rise of postmodern politics in the Western World; Canadian experience of postmodern politics; Reform Party in the context of the cultural tension driving Canada's political debates; Manning's contribution to the fragmentation of Canada's traditional party system.

The early rise in popular support for the Reform Party of Canada is discussed from the vantage point of two long-standing theories of populist mobilization, the first focussing on class position and the second emphasizing nativism. Data from a province-wide survey of Alberta residents conducted in 1991 reveal that farmers, a particular segment of the petite bourgeoisie, were more likely than any other class group to state that they would vote Reform in a federal election. Albertans who identified themselves as Canadians rather than identifying with a particular ethnic or racial group, and to a lesser extent those of Anglo-Saxon/Celtic origin, were somewhat more likely to support the Reform Party. In addition, Albertans with strong feelings on a number of specific social and political issues (multiculturalism, gender equality, distinct status for Quebec, lenient treatment of criminals) were also attracted to the Reform Party, as were those who felt generally politically alienated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been established that changes in the electorate can have an impact on party systems, sometimes leading to the creation of new parties and the elimination of old ones. We contend, however, that changes in the party system may cause voters to reassess their party identification absent of any long-term change in the overall makeup or attitudes of the electorate. As a case in point, we demonstrate that changes in the Canadian party system in the late 1980s (specifically the advent of the right-wing Reform Party) led to a decline in party loyalty among supporters of the right-center Progressive Conservative Party. We discuss the implications of these findings for the study of party systems and partisan change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]