He was a compromise candidate like Dion was.  Chong and Raitt were too moderate for the base, while Leitch, Trost, Lemieux, and Bernier too extreme and risky (Leitch nativist, Trost and Lemieux so cons while Bernier libertarian) so that is how he won.  The problem with much of the right wing in Canada is they don't realize slightly right of centre is the furthest right you can go and still win, many wrongly assume you can run on a hard right platform and win.  They follow US politics too much and forget what sells in the US doesn't necessarily in Canada (or as a matter of fact any other developed country).