Ideology is a fun debate in Poli-Sci seminars but it has no place in government. It is folly to think there is one all- encompassing theory that will solve all problems.
Political parties have one purpose; to win elections. Governments have one responsibility; to do what the voters want and, more importantly, not do something voters do not want. Voters do not want to pay for a viable military. Voters in BC do not want a pipeline for fear a spill could damage the environment. Voters do not want to pay for more courts, judges, Crown Prosecutors, police, and prisons to speed up the court system. Those "parochial local interests" are voters. Failing to heed what the mainstream of the voting public wants is anti- democratic and political suicide.
As for Reform, they are nothing but a front for the Socialist Credit party. We suffered under those thieving bast**ds in BC. They confiscated (stole) money making free enterprise companies and turned them into bloated money losing crowns.