The main lesson from the Canadian experience is that the more socially conservative Reform/Canadian Alliance party there couldn’t make much inroads into more socially moderate Ontario or Quebec until it socially moderated a bit when it merged with what was left of the PC. The party’s leaders were often portrayed as scary theocons with a “hidden agenda”, even though there really wasn’t one. Social conservatives need the help of fiscal conservatives in order to win elections in Canada as much as fiscal conservatives need help from social conservatives. That's probably true south of the 49th parallel as well.
As you pointed out #449, the lengthy Liberal rule was not good for Canada. But the lengthy "conservative" rule following it managed to alienate Canada's conservatives.
as it was to it implementing a very unpopular national sales tax in order to reduce a deficit in the middle of a recession. Previous PC Prime Minister Mulroney also pandered to Quebec, which annoyed many Westerners.
Yes, well, raising taxes and pandering to Quebec radicals are not exactly consistent with conservative principles.
Kim Campbell and her handlers also ran an inept campaign, including a running very ill-fated attack ad making fun of the Liberal leader’s appearance.
There was a lot of stuff brewing before the collapse of the PC. And it came to a head when the average Joe Conservative could finally put a face on it and wonder 'why the hell do we have a moonbat, Kim Campbell, as the leader of a conservative government?" Hence the hilarious, crushing defeat that followed, with the embarrassing aftermath that the PCs became the butt of all jokes. And rightly so, when when stop to think of how cynical a view they must have had toward the conservative voter, in assuming any moonbat should do the trick, as long as she is slightly to the right of some other moonbat.
The main lesson from the Canadian experience is that the more socially conservative Reform/Canadian Alliance party there couldn’t make much inroads into more socially moderate Ontario or Quebec until it socially moderated a bit when it merged with what was left of the PC.
Perhaps, but my view is that Reform absorbed the PCs because it could use their existing infrastructure. Reform had almost no presence in the east. What is the lesson from all this? One lesson, among others that you mention, is this - don't present a moonbat to the public as the leader of a conservative party.