TORONTO (April 21, 1997) - Members of the Montgomery Tavern Society (MTS), including Fp leader Lloyd Walker and president Robert Metz, met with Reform Party leader Preston Manning during a 45-minute meeting focused on a prioritized list of seven key federal issues: (1) Official Bilingualism; (2) Official Multiculturalism; (3) Immigration; (4) Equality Under the Law; (5) Charter of Rights and Freedoms; (6) Debt, Deficits, and Taxes; and (7) Distinct Society Status for Quebec.

The meeting, held at the Sheraton East Hotel before a planned Reform Party luncheon rally there, was also attended by organizer Dick Field (Voice of Canadians), Jack Edwards (Canadian Communications Corp), Dick and Eileen Butson (Confederation of Regions Party), John Furedy (Society For Academic Freedom), Tom Giglione and Wayne Fleming of the Progressive Group for Independent Business (PGIB), and activists Morris Gates, Jim McKee, Richard Hummell, Bud Pfaff, and Philip Coulter. (Notably missing from the meeting was Ron Leitch, president of the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada (APEC), whose absence was one of the conditions requested by Reform Party organizers before the meeting could be held.)

Manning addressed each of the concerns raised by attendees, but chose to begin with the fourth prioritized issue: Equality under the law. "Principles first, policy second", he opened, and outlined Reform's commitment to democratic accountability and bottom-up government.

MTS members were left alone with Manning for most of the 45 minute meeting, which featured candid but cordial discussion, input, and opinion from all around the meeting table. At the close of the meeting, Walker noted that the Reform Party had attained official registration in Ontario, and asked if Reformers were planning to enter the provincial arena. Manning confirmed that Reform was indeed registered in Ontario, but assured Walker that the party had no intentions to field provincial candidates during provincial elections.

Details of the discussion with Manning were published as the lead article ('Second Wind' - In Conversation With Lloyd Walker and Robert Metz) of our last issue of Consent (#27).

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