▁during ▁this ▁period . ▁ ▁He ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Columbia ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁but ▁lost ▁to ▁former ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁Art ▁Lee ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁ball ot . ▁ ▁Roberts ' s ▁participation ▁in ▁this ▁contest ▁probably ▁prevent ed ▁him ▁from ▁running ▁to ▁succeed ▁Pierre ▁Tru de au ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁federal ▁party . ▁ ▁Roberts ▁disag re ed ▁with ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁John ▁Turner ▁as ▁party ▁leader , ▁but ▁he ▁never theless ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁federal ▁Liber als ▁in ▁the ▁Quebec ▁r iding ▁of ▁L achine ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁losing ▁to ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Bob ▁L ay ton . ▁ ▁Reform ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada ▁After ▁this ▁election , ▁Roberts ▁began ▁to ▁consider ▁forming ▁a ▁new ▁political ▁party . ▁ ▁The ▁federal ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁had ▁long ▁been ▁weak ▁in ▁western ▁Canada , ▁and ▁won ▁only ▁two ▁seats ▁west ▁of ▁Ontario ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Roberts ▁believed ▁that ▁a ▁new ▁party ▁might ▁be ▁necessary ▁to ▁opp ose ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Brian ▁Mul r oney ▁in ▁western ▁Canada . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁with ▁Francis ▁W ins pe ar , ▁Pr eston ▁Mann ing ▁and ▁Ted ▁By field ▁in ▁plans ▁to ▁create ▁what ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁Reform ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada . ▁ ▁Roberts ▁was ▁in ▁many ▁respect s ▁an ▁unlikely ▁figure ▁within ▁this ▁group . ▁ ▁His ▁political ▁philosophy ▁was ▁cent rist , ▁perhaps