Ken Boessenkool: How the Harper model worked, and why it’s now broken

The Conservative Party of Canada is now in the early stages of a leadership selection process. 

This is the result of a number of factors, the most important of which is the desire by Conservatives — particularly Western Conservatives — to see themselves once again reflected in the national government as they did during the halcyon Harper era.

If that’s to happen, Western Conservatives are going to have to come to grips with a difficult fact, namely that the Harper model for winning elections is broken.