Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it, so I really don't understand why anyone would think that the CPoC should model itself after the Reaganesque/Bushy US right, especially after just witnessing how this brand of conservatism has failed SO spectacularly in the US.

(slight derail – the corpse is still twitching, and holding up the stimulus bill in the US. This is required viewing: Rachel Maddox, MSNBC )

Like Mr Lunn, I once was more sympathetic to the conservative view, till the Re-FOOOOOOOOORM party chased the Progressive out of the PCs.

There IS a place for conservatism in Canada, but as long as the PCoC base think we should turn Canada into Texas or Utah, it will miss the mark.

It is the long game with PM Harper, one day you will be back in the fold..

As for why ideological conservatism won't sell in Canada, there are a number of reasons. As a country with two languages, many cultures and diverse regions, this has led to Canadians wanting parties that seek compromise and consensus, not ones that are ideological which is why both the ideological right and ideological left are quite weak in Canada compared to other countries. Never mind, exactly how would an ideological conservative win a majority. Atlantic Canada and Quebec have 1/3 of the seats in Canada and asides from Rural Southern New Brunswick and the Appalaches-Chaudiere region, such a party would get wiped out in the rest of this region. I suspect Mike Harris would have been clobbered in both Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Finally Ontario and the West may have areas that are quite conservative, but certainly not all areas and definitely not enough to compensate for a near shut out in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

As for those using other examples, I should point out that asides from perhaps Berlusconi, Harper is still probably one of the most conservative leaders in the Western world. Lets remember Australia and United States both dumped their conservatives ones while in Britain, Germany, France, Benelux Countries, and Scandinavia, their conservative leaders are all pretty moderate and close to the middle. Harper is to the right of David Cameron, Sarkozy, and Merkel, so I would argue ideological conservatism is out of style globally not just in Canada.

As for past ones, I explain why they got elected and why it wouldn't work in Canada.
Ronald Reagan – the United States has always been more conservative than Canada. Their country has been based on the idea of smaller government whereas we have not. The idea of universal health care is still opposed by half the population, while Canada the debate is over what role the private sector should play not over whether we should have universal health care or not. Likewise over half of the population supports the right to carry a concealed weapon and a sizeable chunk thinks one should be able to own a para-military assault style weapon while both views are very much the minority in Canada. Canadians may oppose the gun registry, but that doesn't mean they support the right to keep and bear arms. Americans have long had a strong fear of government, whereas Canada hasn't. Besides the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our health care, peacekeeping, multiculturalism, and bilingualism are all concepts Canadians say makes them proud to be Canadian and all centre-left concepts.
Margaret Thatcher – She replaced the Labour Party who back then were more like the NDP than Liberals. Government was nationalizing everything including even steel and the trucking industry, the unions were out of control, taxes were ridiculously high and government was a lot bigger. If Jack Layton were prime-minister for three terms, then maybe Canadians would be supportive of such a PM, but not now. Had Britain not swung so far to the left in the first place, should would have never been elected. Essentially, her conservative policies cancelled out Labour's more socialist ones thus bringing Britain back to the centre.
Mike Harris – He was the antithesis of Bob Rae so that is why he won while in 1999 the economy was doing well largely due to the strong economy in the United States so he was able to take credit for that. He is not as popular as some conservatives believe he is. I suspect if he ran today in Ontario, he would lose. And even if he could win, I doubt he would be popular enough in Ontario and Western Canada, to overcome a wipeout in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

That being said as an ex-Progressive Conservative and current Blue Liberal, I might actually some day return to the Conservatives once they get rid of all the ideological ones who I cannot stand and feel would do more harm than good for our country. I could never vote for Harper, but I might be able to support the next leader, if he is a moderate one such as MacKay, Prentice, or Lord.

You need to update your talking points.