Preferential balloting stinks.  I assert that one vote for one candidate until 50%+1 is achieved would have produced the same result.  It would be chaos had the Liberals attempted to alter our democracy with this election process.

The CPC was not ready to hand the keys to Bernier whose political career has been checkered, making him vulnerable to loose cannon status.  His libertarianism was complicated and a hard sell.

Scheer was the most logical candidate from the start.  He reinforces the west as a foundation of core support for the CPC.  From there, he can reinforce the strong Ontario base, continue to build support in Quebec, and restore lost support of the Maritimes.

Note that Scheer, spoke half of his speech in French, and assured and appealed to Quebecers of their critical importance to a thriving CPC.

Smaller governance, stronger democracy, debt reduction, lower taxes, set conditions for business investment/employment, mindfulness of terrorism and fighting it. 

Not bad.